To Undo it All
by Inhuman Heroes
Summary: After the Blood War, nothing was left. Yhwach was dead, but Ichigo failed to get strong enough fast enough to protect those he cared about. In desperation, Kisuke created a way for Ichigo to have a second chance to save everyone. To Undo it All. Time Travel fic!
1. Jikan-Ken

"Ichigo-san. I did it." It took a moment for the words to settle into my head, before my eyes widened and I turned to Kisuke with all the hope I had. He flinched when I met his gaze, and I could only assume it was from how much desperation he saw in my eyes. "I-I haven't tested it yet. I've made countless calculations and ran just as many simulations, but I can't guarantee that it'll work." I smiled sadly.

"Kisuke, it's _you_. Of course it'll work." His face twisted into a grimace, probably still thought he didn't deserve my faith in him. He slowly turned back towards the direction he came from.

"Come on, It's in my lab." I nodded and hopped up to my feet, sparing one last glance at the river I had been spending most of my time watching. It was one of the few places left I could relax in. With the help of…a lot of people, I managed to finally get over the death of my mother. I always felt my mothers' presence near the spot where she died, so I took to spending a lot of time there after the Blood War. Wasn't really much else I could do outside of Hollow patrols, and those feel uncomfortably refreshing. Too different to feel like the war, but too similar to not bring up memories. Zangetsu did their best to hold them back, but sometimes there were too many coming in too fast. I shook myself out of my thoughts and turned to Kisuke, who was watching with a somber look on his face.

"Ichigo-san…I'm-"

" _Stop._ I've told you over and over again; it's not your fault, you don't need to apologize."

"I can't help but feel like it is, like I need to."

"It's not your fault, its mine. I didn't get strong enough fast enough." Kisuke turned away before I could see what his face shifted to.

"I didn't prepare you well enough, didn't tell you about everything when you needed it."

"You know I've never needed to know everything. The only thing I've ever needed to know was what I was protecting my friends and family from." Still facing away from me, Kisuke's head lifted from staring at the ground.

"That didn't end up being enough, though, did it? I didn't tell you enough, and you ended up not being strong enough because of it." I immediately grabbed his shoulder and turned him around. He avoided my gaze.

"Why do you want me to hate you?"

"Why _don't_ you? Because of my paranoia, I never gave you enough information and the proper training to reach your full potential. You only got as strong as you did because of the _Zero Squad_. _Yoruichi_ taught you Bankai, the _Visored_ taught you how to use your Hollow mask, _Hachi_ and _Tessai_ taught you Kido, _Kyoraku_ taught you how to use your swords. I didn't even teach you Shikai and my training was more you avoiding death than anything else." My eyes hardened.

"Kisuke." He didn't move his head, but his eyes moved to stare back at me. "You did more than any of them. It was thanks to you I stopped being afraid, that I got my powers back _both times_. You helped me out without question every time I asked, and sometimes even when I didn't." His throat bobbed as his gulp was audible. "You were the _only one_ to not treat me like I was fragile after the Final Getsuga Tenshou. Even when _you forgot who I was_ , you helped me out as much as you could. When everything said what I was about to do was either stupid or would make things worse, you _still_ showed me how to do it. Don't blame yourself for this because _you aren't why it ended up like this._ Especially when you were so desperate to fix it that you made something that can." He finally turned his head to look at me fully, and he was silent for a moment.

"I will never understand why you don't hate me, but I'm grateful that you don't." I smiled softly.

"Good. Now let's go and fix all of this." He nodded and began shunpo-ing towards his lab, me right behind him. We landed at the front doors of his shop, and we passed the shop area quickly. It was as uncomfortably quiet as it's been since the war ended, and neither of us could bear it. We entered his lab, at the back of the building. It was always cluttered from the countless projects he was always working on, but it was never messy until he was the only one living there. I followed him along a path that had obviously been made out of necessity towards a glowing red and yellow marble. As I stared at it, knowing from experience to not touch it until he said to, Kisuke began to explain.

"I haven't, uh, given it a name yet, probably won't, but it's supposed to work similar to the Hogyoku. It breaks barriers, but while the Hogyoku breaks the barriers between Shinigami and Hollow, this breaks the barriers between Time and Space. It can't go to the future, or at least the way I made it means it can't, but it can take you to any point in history that you can recall. Focus on when and where you want to go, and you _should_ be sent as close to there as possible with how much Reiryoku you have. I-I don't know much beyond that, whether it'll work or not, what happens to it after its used, what happens to _you_ after its used, or even how much Reiryoku you need for certain amounts of time displaced. I'm-"

"That's fine. I already know it works, and wherever we end up, _however_ we end up, we'll go from there."

"…A-about that. I'm not going with you." My head turned so sharply to look at him I was surprised it didn't make a noise in protest.

" _What?!_ "

"I-I'd be useless there. There's already a Kisuke however far you go, I lost my purpose, and I'm not even sure if I have enough Reiryoku for how far we'll need to go to successfully make a difference. I'm not even sure if I made it so multiple people can use it."

"I can't fix this all on my own! I can beat anything in a fight, but even I know that most of fixing this is gonna be full of planning and stuff! Most of the stuff the Quincies had that kicked our asses _you_ stopped! I don't know how you stopped them from stealing our bankais or how you stopped them from using shadows like portals!"

"If I solved it, so can the Kisuke of whenever you go to." Kisuke reached out and rested a hand on my shoulder. "Ichigo-san, I'm not _Urahara_ anymore. I'm _Kisuke_ , and I don't have anything I aspire to do anymore. My aspirations and inventiveness died in the war. I may have made that marble, but that was in desperation. I don't think I could go back to being 'Getaboushi' if I wanted to. Please, go without me." Tears dragged down his cheeks, along the stitches that never seemed to heal. I stared at him and he stared right back, for who knows how long. Eventually, my shoulders slouched and a sad smile fell upon his face. I looked down at the marble, still glowing brightly.

"How do I use it?"

"Hold it in your hand and focus on a memory. It should try to pull on your Reiryoku, let it. After that, I don't know much. You should be sent to when and where you want to go, but I don't know if there will be two if you, if you'll have to re-unlock your powers, or what. I cautiously grabbed the marble and held it tight in my palm.

"Jikan-Ken." I decided. Kisuke chuckled lightly.

"'Time Sphere'. Your simplicity with naming things never ceases to amuse me." I smiled softly before pulling him into a hug. He hugged me back after a moment.

"Goodbye, Ichigo-san." He whispered.

"See ya, Kisuke." I mumbled into his shoulder. I focused on a memory, and poured my reiatsu into the Jikan-Ken.


	2. Execution(Once Again)

' **King. We're 'ere.** ' My mind was slow to get going, which was new. I was used to being fully awake instantly because of the war.

' _What do you mean? Where is "here"?_ '

'The second day of our false Bankai training with Yoruichi. The time-traveling device Kisuke made was successful in its objective.' I had no reason to doubt my zanpakuto, but I still had to check for myself. My senses spread out as far as I could get them to and I could feel _everyone_. It took me a moment and the help of Zangetsu to get myself under control. Uryu's reiryoku was worrisomely low, but then I remembered him mumbling something about a lens steal technique having taken his powers away once.

'Letz Stil. The incomplete Vollstandig. It works in the same fashion as our Final Getsuga Tensho did.'

'… **There ain't a reas'n fer that, is there?** ' Shiro growled threateningly. There was no response, and soon I stopped hearing Shiro as well. Probably went deeper into my inner world to hunt him down. I finally opened my eyes, blue sky greeting me. Well, a fake sky. In my peripherals, I saw the brown rocks of Kisuke's training ground in the Seireitei. I grunted as I stood up and began stretching, feeling and hearing many of my joints popping in the process. I was wearing the clothes I had gotten from the Zero Squad, and Zangetsu was in their rightful places at my hip and back. A pair of arms wound around my neck as I felt a mouth press against my ear.

"I see you're finally awake, Berry-kun~" A sensual voice breathed. Clearly, Yoruichi expected me to turn as red as a certain fruit and stammer as I tried to get her off. I probably caught her off guard when I turned around in her grasp and hugged her desperately. I could feel her confusion as she moved her arms to properly return the hug.

"Ichigo? What's wrong?" It was well hidden, but I could hear the faintest traces of disappointment in her tone. She was probably sad I didn't freak out.

"I-I'll explain in a sec, just-I need this." I hadn't seen her in too long, and the news of her death was one of the most devastating blows I had taken throughout the war. I couldn't _not_ tell Yoruichi the truth, even if Kisuke _had_ gone back with me. While she couldn't understand why I was like this, she clearly understood I needed some sort of closure, as she softly rubbed my back. Finally done collecting myself and preparing for what I was about to say, I let go of the werecat and stood up straight. I stared firmly into her eyes and saw them widen by what she saw in my gaze.

"Let's sit down for this. We're both gonna need it." She seemed worried, but dropped down so she was sitting cross-legged anyway. I followed suit, making sure to remove my blades and rest them on the ground on either side of me.

"So, first things first: I'm not the Ichigo Kurosaki you were just training to use Bankai. I am Ichigo Kurosaki, and I did undergo your training, but I'm…a bit removed." She was clearly confused, but she motioned for me to continue. "I'm…I'm from the future. A little over 10 years." After saying this, I saw Yoruichi look me over, much closer this time before her eyes met mine once again.

"Keep going."

"After I got Bankai, we stopped Rukia's execution. I just managed to beat Byakuya when Aizen stepped up and out of the shadows." Yoruichi's eyes hardened to a glare at his name. "He got the Hogyoku, which Kisuke had hidden inside of Rukia, before eventually kidnapping Orihime for her powers. Uryu, Chad, Rukia, Renji and I invaded his base in Hueco Mundo to get her back while he went out and attacked Karakura Town, which the Gotei 13 defended. After rescuing Orihime, I went up against Aizen, being the only person who hadn't seen his shikai. I ended up losing my powers once, but Kisuke helped me regain them. It took a while, but we eventually won. Then we were thrown into another war." My throat felt tight and my eyes burned as I got myself ready to continue.

"There was a secret group of Quincies in hiding, led by the most powerful Quincy to ever exist. They declared war with an assault that nearly killed half the Seireitei. At first, it was all we could do to not die. The Zero Squad got involved." I looked down at Zangetsu as I brushed my fingers along their blades. "They helped me find out my heritage, and unlock my true power. It was thanks to them that we turned the tide. Kisuke and I won." In the corner of my eye, I saw Yoruichi confused by my phrasing. Then it clicked, tears formed at the corner of her eyes, and she pulled me into a hug.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered guiltily into my ear. "You shouldn't have had to go through that. We shouldn't have made you."

"I wasn't forced. Everyone I cared about was in danger, no way was I gonna let them be." I mumbled into her shoulder. "I came back because I didn't get strong enough, fast enough to save everyone. I'm strong enough now. I'm not gonna let anyone die." She cradled my head at that.

"You're too young to carry the fate of the world on your shoulders." I smiled painfully.

"Not the first time you've told me that." I felt one of her fists clench the back of my shihakusho.

"Doesn't make it any less true." A moment of silence passed between us, and the hand Yoruichi had fisted in my clothes lifted.

"S-so," she sniffed, "You said you unlocked your true power?" I sighed, happy for the obvious change in subject.

"Yeah. You know my heritage, right?" She let go and we both sat up straight to look each other in the eyes.

"Yeah, your Mom's a Quincy that had a Hollow in her, and your Dad's a Captain." I rubbed the back of my head, I knew it was a nervous tick but never bothered to try to fix it.

"I, uh, kinda have the powers of all three?" Her face blanked and she slowly blinked.

"…What?"

"I have the powers of Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy. Or, that's the power of my zanpakuto."

"I thought your zanpakuto had that energy slash power?"

"Getsuga Tenshou," I explained, "And that's just a small portion of what I can do. In my Shikai, I can use every basic power of all three races, like Kido, Ceroes, and the arrows. By the way, those arrows are called Heilig Pfeils. The only thing that's mine are the Getsugas, but those I technically got from Goatface."

"…Getsug _as_?"

"There are two forms, but Dad can't use the other one cause you need two swords for it."

"Got it. What about your Bankai? What can it do?"

"You don't need to know. There's only really three people, four if I let Aizen get that strong, that are strong enough for me to use my Bankai against, and one of them is the Head Captain." Her yellow eyes widened at that.

" _Wow_. You're that strong?" I rubbed the back of my head again.

"Zangetsu claims that our shikai is Bankai-level in terms of power, and I haven't seen anything that disproves that."

"Well, damn. Seems Kisuke and I underestimated how much of a powerhouse you could be. What about the new clothes? Looks good on ya."

"Oh, these? I got them from Senjumaru. Originally it was just armor, but then she got pissed that I kept on wrecking it in fights and make me a set that self-regenerates."

"Holy shit. Get anything else from the Zero Squad?" And my hand was rubbing the back of my head again.

" _Yeah_ , about that…the entire Zero Squad trained me?" Once again, her face turned blank.

" _Excuse me?_ "

"Um, Senjumaru made my clothes, like I said, Nimaiya personally crafted my blades, Ichibe taught me the powers I could use and how to use them, Tenjirou healed me whenever I got banged up during training, and Kirio kept me topped up on reiryoku, as well as taught me how to control it." The Flash Goddess sat frozen in front of me, before she whistled lowly.

"No wonder you're so strong. I'm pretty sure anyone'll become a powerhouse with the _Zero Squad_ training them."

"Yeah, Rukia, Renji, and Byakuya trained a little bit under the Zero Squad too. They didn't have to re-learn their move sets, so they didn't stay as long as I did. Rukia unlocked Bankai thanks to Ichibe, Renji got…his full Bankai, I guess? It's weird, I don't know how to explain it right. Byakuya learned how to use Senbonzakura better, which was great." The brown skinned beauty giggled.

"Of course. Renji and Rukia get something cool, but Bya-boo just learns how to use his zanpakuto better. All skill, and no flashiness makes a boring zanpakuto."

"I'm pretty sure there's an argument there about a wave of glowing pink swords in the shape of flower petals being flashy enough."

"Oh, you're just like him! Imagine what shapes he could make if he wanted to have some fun! He could make deadly balloon animals!" I snickered at the image of Byakuya forming a balloon dog out of Senbonzakura's blades and using it to fight. "See? You get it!"

"That'd be way too comedic to use in a real fight."

"Exactly! You wouldn't be able to take that seriously, and then BAM! You'd be cut to pieces!" I began outright laughing at Yoruichi's explanation.

"I think you've been spending too much time around Orihime."

"What do you mean? Sure, she's a bit airheaded, and I'm definitely never gonna eat her cooking, but her surprise tactics are top-notch!" I roared in laughter at the image of Yoruichi, ex-Captain of the Stealth Force and Goddess of Flash, getting tips in surprise tactics from Orihime. Yoruichi's cat-like grin was proudly displayed upon her face, and her eyes widened as her smile took a mischievous turn. "I nearly forgot, you're in your mid-20's. Didja finally get laid?" My laughter was cut short as I choked on my spit and my face burned. The werecat's eyes gleamed.

"Well? I ain't hearin' a no.~" She purred. "Who was it with? Orihime? Rukia? _Me?~_ " My face grew increasingly hot the longer she talked, and I quickly turned away. I felt her hands ghost over my shoulders as she excitedly continued in my ear. "Ya still haven't said no~"

' **Jus' tell 'er! She'll stop botherin' ya.** '

'If he tells her, you _know_ she will arrange for it to happen.'

' **Ev'n better!** '

' _NEITHER OF YOU ARE HELPING!_ ' Quickly making a decision for myself, which is probably going to be the wrong one with my track record, I turned to face Yoruichi.

"MY FIRST TIME WAS A THREESOME AND I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU WITH WHO!" I screamed before flash-stepping to the other side of the training ground, though not fast enough to miss the excited and proud squeal of 'Way to go, Berry-kun!'

'You just made her more curious. Likely, also more determined to both learn of who it was and arrange for it to happen again.'

' _SHUDDAP!_ ' Old Mans' response was a heavy sigh.

'Changing the subject, since we have transported to previous Rukia's execution with our true powers, we must devise a way to go about things without alerting Aizen to our power.'

' _What do you mean?_ '

'Originally, we just barely managed to learn Bankai in time, we were just barely strong enough to best Byakuya with it, and Aizen only revealed himself once the Hogyoku was in prime position for him to take. The Captains were scattered, distracted, and weakened, you were barely capable of standing, and no one else had sufficient strength to hinder his escape once he announced his plans. Currently, we are capable of matching any Captain save for the Head Captain with merely our Shikai, any use of our abilities will alert Aizen, and your false Shikai and its strength are recognized throughout the whole of the Seireitei.'

' _Meaning people are gonna get suspicious just from seeing me like this._ ' I understood.

' **But what can we do? It's not like we can go back to using the false powers.** '

'… _Well, maybe we can?_ '

' **Whadoyou-NO!** '

'It might be our only option.'

' **It** _ **aint**_ **an option!** '

' _We'll stop as soon as Aizen reveals himself?_ '

' **Too damn long!** '

'Hollow, we have no other choice.'

' **YOU AIN'T THE ONE ABOUT TA GET SEALED, FUCKER!** '

' _He's right though, Shiro. I hate it as much as either of you, we'll only be suppressed throughout the fight with Byakuya and a little bit before and after. I don't plan on really keeping the whole 'from the future' thing a secret until after Aizen is dealt with, and we only need to so he comes out of the shadows._ '

' **You mean from the closet.** ' Shiro growled. If he was in an ok enough mood to insult someone's sexuality, then he was at least understanding of the situation.

' _Thanks, Shiro. Sorry about this in advance._ ' He grunted in acknowledgement, and I mentally readied myself for another round of Yoruichi's teasing before going back to where I left her.

* * *

Rukia's execution would start in a few minutes. I calmed my breathing and steadied myself. Old Man Zangetsu just warned me that suppressing Shiro is essentially forcefully unbalancing my powers. I could feel Yoruichi staring at me in a combination of confusion and interest. I had informed her of what I was going to do in order to prevent Aizen from getting suspicious. My reiryoku went into freefall as Shiro was suppressed and I fell to a knee. The weight on my back shifted until it matched my false Shikai blade as the blade at my hip completely melted away.

'It is done.' Old Man confirmed.

' **Now haul ass.** ' Shiro was close to seething, and I had to remind myself why I was suppressing my power. It took a few moments to get accustomed to my significantly weakened powers, but I sprinted to the exit of the cavern before shunpoing at my current fastest towards Sokyoku Hill. The sky turned orange as the Sokyoku was released from its seal. It screeched and dove at Rukia. I was in front of the raven-haired midget in an instant, with my hand holding the false blade of Zangetsu as the firebird slammed into it. There was _no way_ that thing was as strong as a million zanpakuto. Sure, even the fake Zangetsu was powerful, but there was no way it could match a _million_ zanpakuto. I looked over to Rukia, and had to restrain myself before I broke down. Thanks to Old Man Zangetsu feeding me memories, I smiled cockily.

"Hey." I greeted casually, as if I wasn't doing the impossible. I was used to doing the impossible anyway, so it wasn't too out of place. Rukia was frozen in shock. Then she began screaming.

' _Oh, I remember this._ '

' **None of us noticed this last time: Why the fuck is the overgrown chicken just sittin there?** '

'Interesting Question. Likely to provide an equally interesting answer should we ever find it.' Meanwhile, Rukia was still screaming.

"What's it going to take for you to finally realize?! You can't defeat my brother!" Shiro burst into laughter, and Old Man snorted. "He'll kill you for sure this time!" Shiro began laughing harder. "I'm not asking you or anyone else to rescue me! I'm resigned to my fate! GO AWAY!" With the reputation that thing got, how was she ignoring the fact that I stopped the Sokyoku with practically one hand? Hell, it was still-oh wait, it moved. I tilted my head to look at it as it reared back and screeched in rage. The pressure from the wave of sound was enough to make my weakened form stumble forward a step.

' **Y'know, when it made its second charge, the womanizer and the sick guy stopped it with a seal thingy before it hit us. Maybe it was just holding back on the first hit and it was gonna go all out on the second strike?** '

'...Plausible.'

"ICHIGO!" Rukia screamed in worry as I faced the flaming chicken.

"A second strike won't make a difference" _If I had my full power, at least._

"I don't care how confident you are, you'll never be able to stop it a second time!"

' **We can stop it as many fucking times as we fucking want to, shortstack!** '

"Enough already Ichigo, you've got to quit!" I didn't move. "Ichigo, please! You'll be torn to pieces!" Shiro scoffed

' **Like we'd need to worry about an injury like that.** '

'Outside of our complete Bankai, yes we would. When he can use neither his Rasotengai nor his high-speed regeneration, it would prove fatal.' The chicken rushed forward, and I readied to block a strike I knew wasn't coming. The chicken stopped as a thick brown rope wrapped around its neck, and the end that was capped off by a spearhead sank into the ground almost a hundred feet below. I didn't need to look to know Ukitake and Kyoraku were on the ground, each holding an artifact in order to break the Sokyoku. I heard the Shinigami falling into chaos below, but instead watched as the flaming chicken glowed brightly before exploding. Old Man Zangetsu fed me memories again, and I turned around to jump onto the platform holding Rukia up. I unsheathed the fake Zangetsu and positioned it to stab into the platform. Rukia looked up at me.

"Ichigo, what are you doing?"

"Isnt it obvious? I'm taking this stand down." Her eyes widened.

"That's crazy!" she screamed _again_. "Ichigo, you can't! You'll only end up killing us both!"

"Don't worry about it. Just shut up and watch." _Please, at least shut up_. I begged in my head as I stabbed the platform and shot some Reiryoku into it to blow it apart. It exploded, and I grabbed Rukia under my arm before she could fall. I rested the false blade on my shoulder as I began, not needing the Old Man's guidance for this bit.

"'Don't try to rescue me', you said. 'Just go home', you said. You know, sometimes you talk too much. Good thing I don't listen. Now this is the second-" ' **Third.** ' "-time I've had to tell you this: I've come here to rescue you. Got it?" For a moment, the only sound was of the still falling splinters of the platform I had just broken.

"What a fool," the midget finally mumbled. "I'm not going to say thank you."

"I didn't expect you to." _I don't need you to._ I could faintly hear some of the Shinigami freaking out down below about the indestructible stand being destroyed.

' **By this point, I think the Central 46 or whoever the fuck made this shit exaggerated it so no one would try to fight back.** '

'Hollow, is something ailing you? You're displaying intelligence you haven't shown before today.'

' **Fuck off, you sack 'o shit! I'm smart!** ' Not knowing what to do until Renji got here, I settled for death glaring Byakuya. Even though he got better over the years, he still had a stick up his ass that wasn't supposed to fit.

"Ichigo," Oh yeah, Rukia and I talked until Renji came. I looked down to meet her eyes, and I briefly wondered why she wasn't losing her shit over being carried like a puppy. "What are we supposed to do now? How can we possibly disappear with so many eyes watching us?"

Did-did she think I had a plan? I was now wondering why Rukia would _ever_ think I came with a plan, especially when I first became a Shinigami. My first tactic for slaying a Gillian was to 'hit it 'til it died'.

"We make a run for it." I responded.

"How stupid! We'd never get away! Those are _captains_!"

' **So? We can move faster than Yoruichi. They'd never be able to catch us if we decided to gun it.** '

"Yeah, I know." I responded to both at the same time. "But we're not alone. So I need you to trust me." Rukia stared at me in disbelief and I felt something familiar closing in. Fucking finally.

"What was that?" the midget asked. The Hogyoku was probably fucking with her senses, I finally realized. No other reason for her to not recognize her best friend's energy signature.

"It's about time, Renji!" I yelled out. Renji burst into the clearing, covered in bandages and using Zabimaru for support. It was times like this that I understood why the zanpakuto didn't let him use the full power of his Bankai at first. If I was ever weak enough to have to brace against something in order to stand, Zangetsu would sooner materialize and throw me over his shoulder than allow me to use him like a walking stick.

' **Damn Straight.** '

"Renji!" Rukia cried, gaining the attention of the pineapple.

"Rukia!" The midget twisted in my grip like she'd be okay falling nearly 100 feet with no powers.

"Oh Renji, it's you! I'm so glad you're still alive!"

' **We stop the fucking Sokyoku to save your ass and you scream at us, but when exaggeration personified limps up a hill you couldn't be happier?! Double standards much, midget?!** '

' _Right?!_ '

"I knew you'd show up." I spoke up. Renji grinned like I couldn't have saved Rukia without him.

"What choice did I have? I couldn't just rely on you to save Rukia, could I?"

' **WE JUST DID, YOU PIECE OF SHIT! FOR THE SECOND FUCKING TIME, NO LESS!** '

' _Hey, calm down. We can still throttle the midget at him, remember?_ '

' **Do it harder this time. I want to bruise his ribs.** '

' _Of course._ '

"Alright, here ya go!" I lifted the raven haired woman over my head by the back of her kimono. She stiffened in my hand. "Ready~" Since I no longer was tense with the thought of this going wrong, I took the time to enjoy her panicked expression, as well as the mirrored one on Renji's face.

"W-wait, Ichigo," nervous fear had entered her voice as her body started shaking. "You don't really think you're going to-"

"Hey, hold on now!" Renji was wide eyed and sweating. It was wonderful to see. "You wouldn't dare-" _I would dare over and over again_.

"Look out below!" I couldn't wipe off the genuine smile on my face as I threw Rukia as hard as my weakened state could. Tears were flying out of Rukia's eyes as she shot through the air like a bullet, screaming at the top of her lungs the whole way down.

"YOU'RE INSANE!" Renji bellowed before Rukia's head crashed straight into the center of his chest. A trench was dug into the ground that went on for about 10 feet before the momentum could no longer push them. Rukia popped up first, face red and tears in the corner of her eyes. She was cradling the top of her head.

"Damn you, Ichigo!" She shouted. Renji popped up right after, and from what little I could see if it, I was pleased to see a bruise growing on his chest.

"Yeah, you idiot! What if I didn't catch her?!" I allowed myself to get serious.

"Take her and go!" I ordered. Neither moved for a moment, so I yelled again. "Don't just stand there, take her to safety! Take her far away from here! That's your duty! Protect her with your life!" Renji still stared for a moment like the dipshit he was. Then he finally decided to listen as he picked up Rukia and started running. I saw Omaeda, Chojiro, and Isane run after him after being ordered to. I shunpo'ed in front of them immediately. Seeing the blade on my shoulder, they all released their shikai's, but they didn't know I wasn't going to use mine. I stabbed the fake blade into the ground and used my strength-absurd, even by Shinigami standards-to punch straight through Omaeda's mace into his stomach. His feet barely had the time to lift off the ground before I rounded on Chojiro. I sent a mental apology to Yama before I uppercut the orange-skinned lieutenant hard enough to knock him out swiftly. Sending another apology, this time to Unohana, Isane was unconscious before she realized what happened. Knowing what was coming, I ripped the fake Zangetsu out of the ground just fast enough to block Senbonzakura. I mentally cussed. I was too slow in this state. I normally was fast enough to _wait_ for Byakuya to attack. Still, I pretended as if I wasn't actually leagues more powerful than the head of the Kuchiki Clan.

"You're gonna have to do better than that if you're gonna get your sister back, Byakuya." _You're also gonna need to get that light-post out of your ass._ He narrowed his eyes as if he heard my inner monologue.

"Tell me why. Why won't you just give up? You keep trying to save Rukia again and again." I was too pissed at that to listen to what I had originally said, and instead growled.

"Aren't you her brother?! Why the fuck are you trying to kill her?! You should be protecting her!"

"Such a foolish question. Even if I did have the time to try and explain the principle to you, someone like you would never understand it."

"Someone like me doesn't _need_ to! It's wrong!"

"It seems talking serves no purpose. Prepare to die." He focused his reiatsu into his blade in an attempt to overwhelm me. Luckily, even weakened, I had excessive amounts of reiatsu. I flooded my blade with bright blue energy, and the warring energies exploded, causing both Byakuya and I to slide back a few feet.

"There is only one path before me; I shall kill you, Ichigo Kurosaki, and then, once again, I will capture Rukia, and this time, I will execute her myself."

"I won't let you do that. That's the reason I'm here!" I roared before we dashed at each other again. My sword skills were awkward now that I was used to dual wielding, but my moves smoothened with every clash. My eyes narrowed as I focused on deflecting his strikes. While I had increased in skill greatly thanks to the Zero Squad, they had agreed with me that a berserker fighting style was most effective for my zanpakuto and their power. Since I couldn't currently use the power of Zangetsu, I had to partake in a battle of skill, and do my best to not get hit. After a particularly fast clash, Byakuya and I each shunpo'ed back. He seemed uncomfortably pleased.

"You have mastered the Flash Step." Oh, I get it. He doesn't want to admit I can actually fight. "But don't think that it will change your fate. It won't." He snarled.

"I didn't master Flash Step to save myself." I pointed the fake Zangetsu at him in challenge. "You want Rukia? You'll have to go through me. And your shikai isn't enough for that." ' **King. His** _ **Bankai**_ **isn't enough for that.** ' "C'mon. I heard you earlier. You said you were gonna kill me first and then execute Rukia with your own hands."

"So I did." He acknowledged.

"And I'm not gonna let you do that. I'm gonna defeat you, Byakuya, if you don't take this seriously." _Well, I defeat you anyway, but you don't need to know that_. "I'm willing to risk everything. Are you?" he frowned. "You act as if there's some reason why it has to be this way. You say I wouldn't understand! You got that right! I cant even imagine what kind of monster would actually threaten to murder his own sister! As long as I'm here, you'll never say that about Rukia again!" my eyes glowed with Reiryoku. "Release your Bankai now, or I'll kill you where you stand." Originally, that had been a threat from a cocky teenager. Now it was a genuine warning thanks to the sheer amount of power I had.

"An empty threat. All your boasting and bragging will not change my mind, and it will not change Rukia's fate." He lifted Senbonzakura in his favored position to release his shikai. I narrowed my eyes. "Nor your own. You want my Bankai? Careful what you ask for. You will die, but it is a thousand years too soon for you to die by my bankai." The blade glowed pink, and the fake Zangetsu seared a violent blue in response. " _Scatter, Senbonzakura_." Both halves of Zangetsu and I snarled in unison. All three of us were insulted at the reminder from the nobleman about how weak we were at the time. Zangetsu unable to protect me, and me unable to protect my friends. I growled as I raised the cleaver and swung down. A violent wave of sheer destruction erupted out of the blade, and it tore past Byakuya, purposely only striking the outside of his arm. The pink petals fluttered to the ground as his focus disappeared, and his face was full of shock. The slash had carved a path into the ground, stopping a few feet past Byakuya. _Pathetic_. It felt good, knowing I was so much more powerful than what amounted to a scratch in the dirt. Blood dripped down the arm of the Kuchiki Clan Head into the shallow path I had created.

"Is this the true power of your zanpakuto, Ichigo Kurosaki?"

' _ **Not even close**_ ' Zangetsu and I growled simultaneously in my head.

"That's right." I had to force the words out of my mouth. It felt insulting to describe something so weak as my signature. "When I swing my sword, all of my reiatsu is absorbed by my zanpakuto then released in a super high-density beam. That gives it an incredibly amplified swing. That's Zangetsu's power." I had to pause and calm down, lest I accidentally say 'fuck it' and let loose my true power. Old Man Zangetsu supplied memories to work from.

"You know, this is the first time I've used this attack in combat. Until just now I wasn't really sure how to fire it. Kisuke Urahara told me, 'I can only teach you the stances'. Now I finally know what he meant. He was telling me that there was only one who could use Zangetsu. And that was Zangetsu himself. The name of that attack…" It felt wrong to call something so weak by the name of something so powerful. "…is Getsuga Tensho." I allowed a moment for him to take it in.

"I'll say it once more, Byakuya Kuchiki. Attack me with your Bankai now, or I'm going to destroy you completely." He said nothing for a couple seconds.

"'Piercer of Heaven', huh? What a pretentious name."

' **For something like that, I agree. But say that about a** _ **real**_ **one, and it's joining that light-post up your ass.** ' I agreed wholeheartedly with my Zanpakuto.

"All right then. Since you're not willing to take 'no' for an answer, then see this: behold, my Bankai." He held his sword in the familiar position he took whenever he entered Bankai, and dropped his sword through the ground. I pretended to be shocked. "Do not worry. This will be over swiftly." _Oh, I want it to be_.

"You'll turn to dust and disappear before another thought passes through your head." Like always when his Bankai is released, a dozen gigantic swords rose out of the ground behind him. " _Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi._ " The blades exploded into petals, and I calmed myself down with the recollection that with the way this Byakuya used his Bankai, it might as well have been just a bigger version of his shikai, which was a hilarious thought. A Bankai is so much more powerful and effective than a shikai ever could be, it was sad that Byakuya originally perverted his so much as to treat it like his shikai. I grabbed the false Zangetsu and ran as what amounted to a million flying swords came at me like the world's deadliest tidal wave. I allowed myself to get in the middle of a trap and half-heartedly flung a fake Getsuga before I was overwhelmed by the petal-shaped blades.

"Think of Senbonzakura like this," the nobleman began to monologue. "A relentless barrage from all angles by billions of blades attacking simultaneously. The abilities of your zanpakuto are more than I imagined." ' **You could never hope to take our true power on.** ' Came Shiro's growl. Only when the hollow was truly pissed did he forget to cuss. "However, your attacks are far too broad and clumsy.

You could _never_ evade the nimble assault of Senbonzakura."

' **I can name** _ **so many ways**_ **why I don't care.** '

"Yeah, well, you talk too much." I began.

' _Are you ready?_ '

' **To rip his head off? Yes.** '

' _For the fake Bankai._ '

'Yes.'

"I said I'd beat you. If shikai isn't enough, I'll go higher."

"That arrogant mouth of yours is going to be the death of you. You talk as if you already achieved Bankai level." ' **We did a long time ago, and we don't need it against** _ **you**_ **.** '

"Yeah, you catch on pretty quickly, Byakuya." I shifted into my ready stance for activating my false Bankai. My feet were set shoulder width apart, and the fake Zangetsu was held out in front of me, with my left hand supporting my arm. The cloth that always hung at the bottom of the hilt automatically wrapped around my arm as my reiatsu skyrocketed, _screaming_ to climb up to its true levels but being forcefully prevented from doing so.

" _Ban-kai!_ " My reiatsu exploded outward, powerful enough even when weakened to create a hurricane. With a single, careless slash, I cleared the dust away from the battlefield, revealing my false Bankai to Byakuya. It felt kind of nostalgic, to wear the overcoat again, and to hold the midnight black blade in my hand one more time. Thanks to the head of the Kuchiki Clan being stunned from my release, I analyzed myself, to find an incredible revelation. I always wondered why my fake Bankai blade was black, why all my wounds healed when I released it, and why I was able to use my hollow powers most freely in Bankai. It seemed the simple act of entering Bankai, the truest and most powerful form of the relationship between Shinigami and Zanpakuto, was enough to loosen the seal my Quincy powers had over my Hollow. The blade was black because Shiro's blade was, my wounds healed because of his high-speed regeneration, and I had the easiest access to my hollow powers because it was when the seal was at its weakest. That also explained why the more often and longer I was in Bankai, the easier to use and more powerful my Hollow Mask had become. " _Tensa Zangetsu_."

'… **You just** _ **now**_ **realize this?!** '

' _Shut up._ ' Byakuya finally came out of his shock enough to speak.

"So…that's it? That little weapon-" ' **Fuck you.** ' "-that's your Bankai?" he seemed flabbergasted. "It looks just like a regular zanpakuto. Now I can see: this is no different than your childish display earlier." His eyes narrowed in rage. "What it comes down to is the fact that you enjoy treading on those things we hold sacred. What you need is to be taught a lesson. I plan on showing you what happens to immature brats who try to insult our honor." Senbonzakura rose up like a flood from behind him straight at me. It was just as easy now as it had been then to shunpo past the blades and in front of him, the point of Zangetsu's blade just barely breaking through the skin of the hollow of his neck. He froze in shock.

"You wanna talk about pride?" I began. "Your so-called 'honor' demands that you kill Rukia. Takes a lot of 'honor' to kill your own sister, I assume. If that's the kind of pride and honor you're talking about, you can be damn well sure that I'm gonna insult it!" I jumped back. This had to go on until Byakuya activated Senkei. Old Man was right, Aizen wouldn't reveal himself unless everyone he perceived as a strong enough to be a nuisance was unable to be one, and Byakuya counted. I refocused on the Captain I was fighting, to see him looking confused with a hand gently placed against where Zangetsu was previously.

"Why? Why did you take the point of your sword away from my throat?" For some reason, according to my memories, I kinda just shut up here. "Well? Answer me." I didn't actually know the answer, so I remained silent.

"Arrogance destroys the footholds of victory." Wow, it was like he was reciting something from a book. "That move of yours is not Bankai, and a lowly Ryoka could never attain Bankai. It's inconceivable." Senbonzakura began to glow in preparation to move. "With this attack,you will regret not slitting my throat when you had the chance. A miracle only happens once. Your luck has run out, boy." I distinctly recall performing a great many things others called miracles, which now included going back in time. Pink petals blurred together as they launched themselves at me, and I immediately began dodging them at my fastest in this form. Regularly, the petals would surround me in a way someone slower would deem it impossible to escape, only for me to weave around them without being touched.

'Begin slowing now. This is when you began to get overwhelmed by your power.'

' _Understood. Thanks for the reminder._ ' It was difficult, but with the help of the Old Man, I began to slow myself steadily in a way where someone would think I didn't notice it. ' _This is taking too long. I need to get him to use the second level of his Bankai._ '

' **Taunt 'im.** ' Shiro recommended. Going with it, I began to shunpo in a circle around Byakuya, fast enough that my afterimages were indistinguishable from myself.

"You haven't hit me since I released my Bankai you know." I announced. "Am I going too slow? I can go faster as soon as you give the word."

"Don't get too cocky." He snapped, finally resorting to his hands. It was good, proved he was starting to get desperate. I dodged a few more times, purposefully ending up in the air and surrounded completely by Senbonzakura. Every petal came at me at once, and I deflected them all with the speed my false Bankai was known for. Not as fast as Yoruichi, but firmly between her and Soi Fon in terms of speed. Once I deflected all of the petals, I realized I had the perfect opportunity to push the elder Kuchiki into using Senkei.

"You said a miracle only happens once, right?!" I asked before shunpoing behind Byakuya, Zangetsu poised to strike. "Then what's this?!" He spun around as I stabbed forth, grabbing the blade so as to avoid being impaled. His face shifted into a dark glare.

"I see. By focusing all the fighting power of the Bankai in that small blade, that Bankai gives you incredible size combined with its intensity allows you to fight at incredible speeds. Even I have to admit such power is impressive." He readjusted his grip on my blade. "Very well then. There is nothing left for me to do but completely crush that power!" His reiatsu skyrocketed, and I mentally sighed in relief.

' _Finally, you use the second level of your Bankai._ ' He and I separated as he prepared Senkei.

"Watch carefully, Ichigo Kurosaki." He began as his reiatsu flickered about his form.

' _What is it with people fighting me and saying my full name before they let loose an attack they think is gonna kill me?_ '

' **Dunno, but if people keep doin' it, then it'll be a great warning sign.** ' Byakuya's reiatsu shot into the sky before forming the dome I knew was coming.

"What you see is what happens when I abandon all defense and risk everything to kill my enemy. This is the true form of Senbonzakura."

' **It's great an' all that yer makin' it all ominous 'n shit, but ya think it's smart to let yer opponent know ya aint got no defense in this form?** '

'Wise advice.' The dome bled to a dark blue, and the petals of Senbonzakura formed into the blades that floated along the walls of the dome.

" _Senkei Senbonzakura Kageyoshi._ " Byakuya began walking forward as he continued. "Do not worry. These swords simply mark your funeral procession. The thousand swords around you will not attack you at once."

' **Y'know, fer such a smart guy, how did he not think ta try usin' all 'o the swords at once before Ichibe told 'im about it?** '

' _Y'know, I'm with the Old Man here. How are you so smart today?_ '

' **Fuck off. Both 'o ya.** ' Byakuya kept talking, obvious to my inner conversation.

"This Senkei is the form I show only to those special few enemies," a sword dropped into his hand, its glow fading away to reveal the sealed form of the sword, "who are truly deserving of my vow to kill them with my own hands. You are only the second to ever see it."

"Flattered." Despite how carelessly I said it, I was being truthful. As he was currently, this was his way of saying he had respect for me. I flared my reiatsu, and he flared his in response.

"Here I come, Ichigo Kurosaki."

* * *

 **Yo, I'm going to hopefully be posting more frequently and regularly. As much as I want to, I can't state a schedule or even a guarantee that I'll be more frequent in my posting. For this story specifically, I'm drawing inspiration from Reign of Rayne's 'Rewind'.**


	3. The Beginning

"Here I come, Ichigo Kurosaki." As soon as the words left his mouth, he shunpo'ed towards me. My blade snapped up to meet his, and sparks flew. As we fought, I was reminded of one of my many bad habits. Somehow, I always forgot how fast Byakuya was. I was always reminded by it when I saw it in action, like now. While I was purposely going slow now, and I was overwhelmed by my _own_ reiatsu originally, Byakuya was keeping up. Of course, I was _moving_ faster, but he was making up for that gap by _reacting_ faster. I'd blitz around fast enough to leave three separate after-images, but he'd block in the direction they were leading to, rather than where they were.

"What's the matter?" The nobleman asked, his voice halfway between insulted and speculating. "You seem to be moving much slower than when we started." Shit, he can't be allowed to realize I'm slowing down on purpose.

"Oh, yeah?" I sassed, hoping that my tone implied that I was calling bullshit on his analysis. "I can still block your sword! You know, when you move, it's almost like you ain't moving to me!" His sword actually was moving to me, far faster than I expected it. I really need to stop forgetting that while his wasn't as intense as mine, he did go through Yoruichi's speed training. My muscles instinctively tensed to dodge.

'No. While I hate to see it happen again, this is where Byakuya turns the tide.' Well, shit. I forced my body to relax and sucked in a breath, just as a pink blade ran through my foot. I tuned out Shiro screaming bloody murder. No, literally, he was describing how he was going to slowly and painfully eviscerate Byakuya. I felt a finger press against my right shoulder.

' _Oh, I remember this._ '

" _Hadou Number Four: Byakurai._ " I bit through my lip keeping my arm from bisecting Byakuya through sheer instinct. It was nearly as difficult keeping my regeneration from activating, and my arm still twitched, though I could tell Byakuya just pegged that as a result from the injury.

'I do hope the reason Byakuya favors Byakurai so much isn't because their names are similar.' Thank you, Old Man, for always knowing just what to say to calm me down. The absurdity of the thought (that actually seemed more plausible the more I contemplated it) was enough to get my instincts under control enough for me to pay attention to my surroundings.

"It's over for you, Kurosaki Ichigo." Oh, my God, my previous revelation was correct.

"That's what you think. I'm pretty damn good at exceeding expectations." His eyes narrowed, but he otherwise didn't react.

"I gather you thought my movements became faster after activating my Senkei." Oh, thank God, he actually believed my act. "That is not the case. All that technique does is compress my numerous sword fragments into whole swords to explosively increase killing capabilities. I haven't gotten faster." Now that I think about it, how does reducing the amount of projectiles increase killing ability? It's not like he can have each of the fragments making up the blade move while cut into the enemy…

' **...We're never telling him that.** '

'Not unless we're in a desperate situation. Also, Ichigo, he's awaiting your response.'

' _Oh, shit. Thanks Old Man!_ '

"So you're saying, that what actually happened is that I got slower?"

"There's nothing to be ashamed of. This is expected, really. You have gone far beyond what anyone believed you were capable of, defeated many high-level Shinigami, and even temporarily survived my Senbonzakura." Well, Aizen straight-up _planned_ for all of this to happen. Kind of. The original event, not the version that included time-traveling. Wait, what if he _did_? "But you can feel it now, can't you? Your body is weak, and tired. Everyone has limits, and you have long since passed yours. I will give you the honor and respect to ask you now: Accept defeat. You are at your limit, you can do no more. Understand this, and die a respectable death."

Byakuya summoned another sword, raised over his head in a one-handed execution.

"This is your end, Ichigo Kurosaki." His blade fell, only to be stopped by my palm, thickened by my Hierro. His eyes widened. "Impossible."

"The way you speak, about my reaching my limits." I started, looking up at him. "It's almost as if you're saying that one should give up just because they're at their limit." My blade snapped out, faster than I had gone in this whole battle to cut across his chest. The noble retreated a few steps, clutching his wound. "It I had done that at any point until now, I couldn't have gone this far. If I didn't keep going after my body told me to stop, there's a lot of things I wouldn't have achieved." My eyes narrowed, and my reiatsu leaked off of me. "If I accepted that I couldn't do something, I wouldn't be here."

Byakuya's eyes filled with confusion, understanding my words spoke about more than what he had seen me do. He knew at this point that I wasn't in the midst of some second wind, or anything of the sort.

"I…don't think either of us have enough strength to continue to fight much longer." His confusion between my words and a lack of information rendered him unable to properly judge if I was tired or not. "Let us finish this off with one final attack." I humored him.

"All right. First though, I wanna ask you a question." The raven haired man raised an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't you save Rukia?" Last time, when he gave out his answer, it started him on a path that ended with him as a proper brother. Things had already changed since then. I was hoping I could change a little more. He was mute as he contemplated it, before meeting my eyes firmly.

"If you succeed in defeating me, I will answer you." I nodded in agreement, and he shifted to a kendo stance. Answering his silent call, the dome of blades surrounding us shattered into its petal state and flew to him and the single remaining blade in his hands. Whatever couldn't fit along the blade formed the angelic wings and halo-esque ring on his back.

" _Shuukei: Hakuteiken._ " It was equally as beautiful as it was powerful. I thought about the respect he began to give me over the course of the fight. Originally, I wanted to repay him but couldn't due to lack of any other ability than Getsuga Tensho. Now, I just might be able to.

' _Old Man, are they watching?_ ' My inner world was silent for a beat.

'...Even if they are, it will not change anything. Only _he_ would understand it for what it is, but _he_ is too over-confident to pay attention to it.'

'… _Good._ '

"That's incredible." I finally breathed. "I believe it would be nothing short of insulting if I didn't respond in kind. I apologize in advance: my sword isn't beautiful or elegant. It's my will to protect others, sheer power for the purpose of keeping those I care about from harm." While it didn't go into a smile, Byakuya's face did soften.

"You claim your blade is neither beautiful nor elegant. Its purpose speaks otherwise." A smile warmed my face, as my heart stung. I was already making changes, it seems. That sounded a lot like the Byakuya I knew, after all. I gripped Tensa Zangetsu with both hands, and slid my right foot back as I brought back the blade to swing upwards. My body filled with as much power as the false Bankai allowed.

"Thank you, Byakuya Kuchiki. Are you ready?" He breathed in and nodded. "Then here I come!"

We charged, white encompassing his form, while absolute black wreathed mine. I made sure to keep laser focus on the distance between us, waiting until the very last possible moment to use it. His blade was falling, a mere hairs width from my body when I brought my blade forward. I did my best to aim as much towards the sky as I could, and I saw Byakuya's eyes widen at the name of the attack.

" _Mugetsu._ " Just as I remembered, imperial white followed the wake of Byakuya's strike, encircling the whole of Sokyoku Hill. Unlike what happened originally, the black of my Getsuga Tensho did not swallow half of the Hill in an amazing mirror. Instead, my Mugetsu devoured the sky. My ultimate attack, one whose uses could be counted on one hand. It was immensely powerful, so great was its strength that even when used in my false Bankai, it painted the protected sky of the Seireitei black. It took a minute, likely a frightening one to everyone except me, for all of the whisps of reiatsu to fade. In a numb daze, Byakuya stumbled past me, the heavenly light of his Bankai slowly fading away. I craned my head over my shoulder to watch him, purposefully ignoring the deep gash in my side from the strike that actually landed this time. I would've turned to face him, but I had to paint the image that I was more wounded than I was. Up until the point in which Aizen was dead, it was always the safe bet to assume he was watching, and he wouldn't come out if he saw I was less injured than I should've been after fighting a captains Bankai for the first time ever. While using my own Bankai. For the first time ever. Being slowed down by my own power made a lot of sense in hindsight.

Byakuya's stumbling steps finally stopped, and there was enough of his blood on the ground that it made me question how the fuck he managed to flash step all the way to the 4th Division in such a state. Pride is one thing, stubbornness is another, but from the looks of things, he shouldn't have been able to travel the several miles it was to the only hospital in the Seireitei.

"…You wanted to know, why I would allow Rukia to be executed. Criminals must be brought to justice. They are given a punishment befitting of their crime, and it is carried out. That is the way of the law." This. Right here. This is where I had messed up last time. Last time, I questioned his priorities. I can do better this time.

"And what if the law is wrong? You said criminals are given punishments correct for what they've done. Is _execution_ the right punishment for saving a family?"

"It…matters not what I believe. She committed treason, by interacting with humans, and more importantly, sacrificing her powers to one. The Kuchiki clan is one of the four great Noble Families. We're duty bound to act as examples for all Shinigami. How can we enforce our laws if we ourselves disobey them?"

"As a noble, it means everything what you believe. You, above everyone else, have the power to make the law fair and just where it otherwise isn't. Things are not black and white. This is a prime example. I understand you won't accept the word of a Ryoka. Ask Rukia next time you see her: why she sacrificed her powers to me? Read over the law books again, and ask yourself: are these fair?" A soft gust of wind passed by us, tugging at the edges of our coats as silence rang between us. Byakuya would slowly open up, but in my time, the laws of the Central 46 never changed. It was only due to the war conditions that they couldn't do whatever they wanted, and by the time they able to, there was nothing they _could_ do.

"Ichigo Kurosaki. Through your spirit and drive, you have broken my sword. You have won. You have my word; I will pursue Rukia no longer."

"Thank you. But what about my words?"

"…That will be left for another time." I swallowed and tensed, feeling Orihime rush out from the trees atop Sokyoku Hill, blatantly ignoring the fact that the enemy was still there. Byakuya seemed to sense her as well, from his barely heard amused scoff before he shunpo'ed away. I stood there, unmoving for a couple seconds, staring at where the noble previously was. Then a wave of dizziness hit me. Oh, yeah, there was a giant fucking gash in my right side that miraculously didn't hit any organs that I decided to tough out. Good thing Orihime was gonna slam into me right about now.

"Kurosaki-kun!" My legs gave out, and I leaned back thanks to the Old Man reminding me that I fell backwards into her. She did her best to catch me, but she was a small, weak girl that was less than a hundred pounds and I was an over six foot tall wall of muscle that easily weighed over 150. It wasn't meant to be. We hit the ground, she quickly scrambled out from under me, and tried to help me up for all of until she saw my wounds. Her absentminded apologizing halted completely, and she immediately began looking me over. I mentally thanked her worrisome and ditzy nature, as it gave me ample time to keep myself from falling apart. That would wait until later. And preferably when I was alone. Before that, I needed to kill a couple certain someone's, and then try to not sound insane as I explained I was from the future. Orange filled my vision and I looked down to see Orihime's healing dome covering my gash. Shit. I had to stay injured until Aizen revealed himself. Excuse, excuse, yes!

"Inoue, not yet! We're not done yet. My injury can wait, Renji has Rukia."

"But Kurosaki-kun-"

"When everyone's safe. We can't afford to stop, not now." I heard Uryu, Ganju, and Chad run up behind me. I purposely didn't turn their way. I was barely managing to keep myself in one piece just knowing they were alive again, I didn't want to run the risk of actually _seeing_ them alive. I stabbed the tip of the false Tensa into the ground and pulled myself up, biting back a pained hiss from my injuries. I felt some hands holding my back. The small set was clearly Orihime's. The huge, calloused ones I pegged as Chad's. I waved them off.

"I'll manage. I'm not bleeding that bad, and I can ignore the pain."

"…Kurosaki, why are you taller?" I was taller? Oh, yeah, I slowly grew taller than Uryu as the years passed. Oh course he would notice. I sighed.

"I-I'll explain, just later. Now's not the time. When we're done." I hadn't turned to look at him yet, but I could still feel his suspicion.

"…I'll hold you to that." I was grateful for his acceptance, I didn't think he was so trusting so early in our friendship. I lifted my blade from the ground and took a step. I stumbled lightly, but I managed to catch myself just as Orihime and Chad grabbed me again. I held my hand up and they retreated, but kept a close eye as I took another step. I didn't waver, but it took three more before I felt comfortable walking without a crutch. I tilted my head back so everyone knew I was talking to them, but not enough to actually see them, before I began speaking.

"I passed Rukia off to Renji while I caused a commotion. Yoruichi took one of the captains somewhere else, I beat three lieutenants and Byakuya, and the last three captains and lieutenant disappeared during my fight. I don't know where they are, and we need to regroup with Rukia and Renji to keep them safe. Any of you know where they are?" I couldn't do anything until Isane unveiled Aizen's plot, so I improvised. I wasn't supposed to know that Kyoraku and Ukitake dragged Yamamoto away to help out with Rukia's escape, nor was I supposed to know that Yoruichi was only able to drag Soi Fon away due to their history. I also was supposed to be shit at sensing reiatsu, meaning I wasn't supposed to know that Rukia and Renji were seconds away from encountering Tosen.

"I can sense Rukia with a reiatsu signature I'm not familiar with." Uryu announced

"Renji, probably. Hopefully."

"Then what are we waiting for?! Let's meet up with them!" Ganju yelled, because I wasn't sure if he knew what talking normally was. I had only ever heard him speak in anything other than yell once, and I don't think about that. I nodded in response to his statement, and began walking, doing my damnest to not make it obvious that I was avoiding looking at anyone.

"Kurosaki." I grunted in response to Uryu's voice. "The way down the hill is in the opposite direction." Well, I didn't mean to do that, but it at least cleared some of the suspicion on me.

"Oh, sorry." I shuffled around and did my best to rush past them without raising my head. "Come on then, we're in a hurry." Moving so fast with such bad injuries and no capabilities of regeneration turned out to be a bad idea. I tripped over my own feet and nearly face planted, if it weren't for Ganju and that 11th squad guy that Orihime accidentally kidnapped. Ganju wheezed as he threw my left arm over his shoulders.

"What the shit, man? You weren't this heavy two friggin days ago!" I rolled my eyes. I couldn't be _that_ much heavier compared to my younger self.

"Like I said, I'll explain, just not now. Hurry it up, the sooner we're with Rukia and Renji, the easier this will be." With a clearly exaggerated grunt, Ganju lifted me up to my feet with the help of the 11th squad guy. After a bit of trial and error, the three of us managed to hobble forward as smoothly as we could. With us leading the pack, there weren't really any complications until we reached the steps, where we had to re-learn how to hobble. Luckily, we were still high enough up on the steps to see the trees atop the hill when there was a noticeable tug in the back of my head. One everyone felt, considering Ganju's and 11th squad guy's reactions. Then a voice filtered through, clear as day thanks to Isane's skill in Kido.

' _This is it._ '

'Where the one of the most significant of alterations will occur.'

' **Fuck 'im up. For everything.** '

' _I will._ ' I didn't hear Isane's speech this time. I didn't need to. The tug released, and I could feel the tension rise amongst our group.

"You think all of that was true?" Chad inquired.

"Maybe," Ganju grumbled. "But it could also be a Shinigami trap."

"Not impossible," Uryu announced. "But the reiatsu that just appeared near the execution site is making me lean towards 'truth'. Rukia is there, along with the signature that was with her earlier. It's fading slowly. Most importantly, there's a third one that's captain-level." I didn't hesitate. I whipped around, throwing my arms off Ganju's and the other guy's shoulders and blitzing past Uryu and the others up the stairs. As soon as the stairs stopped and the flat ground started, I slipped seamlessly into shunpo. I didn't bother tracking Renji's and Rukia's reiatsu signatures. I knew exactly where they were. Before, I stumbled when I saw Renji on his knees and soaked in his own blood. I didn't this time. Aizen was fast enough that I barely stopped his blade in my false Bankai.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Like everything was going according to his plan, Aizen's face was passive as ever. They were, as far as he knew. He shifted, clearly making sure I could see it as he began his strike. Playing along, I pushed his blade back so Renji and I could retreat as best we could with our injuries. Breathlessly, the redhead beside me spoke up.

"Ichigo."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry you had to come."

"Don't be. This is meant to happen." I spoke softly so Aizen wouldn't hear. Renji flinched.

"What?!" Gathering myself as best I could, I turned to meet Renji's confused and slightly angry eyes.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure everything ends up alright. None of you are going to be hurt anymore. That's a promise." Renji's shock was so great that his grip on Rukia loosened enough for her to push away from his chest and gasp for air.

"You think I'm trying to set a new world record for holding my breath?!" she screamed.

"Sorry 'bout that. I didn't think you wanted me to interfere, Aizen, so I let 'im by." I heard Gin explain to the man he wanted dead.

"No matter; its fine." The megalomaniac with a god complex soothed. "When you're cleaning the house, it doesn't make any difference whether there's one piece of dirt, or two." Renji's head snapped up upon hearing the insult, and I was already facing the walking definition of arrogance.

"This the Aizen guy I just heard about?" I asked, feigning ignorance. In hindsight, what the hell was I thinking? I had barely come out of the fight with Byakuya alive, and I thought I was still physically up to fight _another_ captain-class fighter?

"Yeah, that's him." Renji confirmed.

"You think you still have enough in you to get away?"

"I've got enough in me to stay and fight. It's damn useless to try and run. Zabimaru may be broken, but he's got a surprise or two up his sleeve. I don't think we can win, but I'm confident we can slow him down enough to get out of here." I sighed to keep up the act. I could let Renji and Rukia in on it, but I absolutely couldn't risk tipping Aizen off, especially not this close to the best opportunity we'll have.

"Good enough." I announced. I saw Renji give me an odd look out the corner of my eye, and I thoroughly wanted to punch him in the face for being so obvious. Luckily, he dropped the glance in favor of getting into position for his _Higa Zekko_.

"I can only pull this off once, but if it works, you'll have a second or two where he'll be wide open. That'll be all I can give you, so don't waste it."

"Understood." With my acknowledgement acting as confirmation, Renji slammed his blade into the ground, his reiatsu permeating the area.

"Here we go, Zabimaru! _Higa Zekko!_ " His reiatsu was absorbed into the pieces of shikai, causing them to float, turn to face Aizen, and rocket forward. Gin didn't so much as blink, either correctly assuming that the ability wouldn't do crap, or humoring Renji's efforts by letting it happen. I kept myself a fraction of a second behind the rain of metal, painting the illusion that I was trying. Just like last time, Aizen promptly knocked away each piece of Zabimaru before holding out his finger to stop the false Zangetsu completely. My eyes widened in surprise, not because he stopped the fake Bankai, but because I didn't know until now that Aizen also stopped Zabimaru without his zanpakuto. This time, I watched as Aizen drew his blade, cut across my stomach, flick the blood off, and sheath his weapon so quickly even Yoruichi would've missed it.

"Oh?" Aizen raised an eyebrow. "I thought I would've cut you completely in half. It seems I didn't strike deep enough." Bullshit, he wanted me alive. He wanted to drive out my hollow by making me weak enough to be unable to fight back. Last time, he treated me controlling my hollow powers as a happy accident. I was tempted to use my hollow powers to kill him, but then I realized that the Captains would probably attack me instead of listening to what I have to say. I fell painfully to the ground, in such a way that I caught a glance at Aizen cutting down Renji just as quickly as he struck me. I blacked out from the pain for the briefest of instant, and the megalomaniac was holding Rukia by the collar. I shifted slightly, something the brunet didn't miss.

"Poor thing," he mocked. "Are you actually still conscious? I'd applaud your endurance, but your spine is all that is keeping you in one piece. If you wish to remain alive, I suggest your remain still. It's up to you, though. You've already served your purpose, and I no longer need you alive."

"I've served…my purpose?" He watched me for a moment, like a scientist would his project. He decided to humor me, just like last time.

"Correct. I knew you were coming. I even knew from where: the West Rukongai. I do hope a certain feline mentioned the increase in security, else my efforts on that front would have been in vain. I instructed Gin to go there as well, just to ensure everything went smoothly. I rearranged a couple squads and their shifts in such a way that your only possible form of entry would be through Kukaku Shiba's cannon. Flashy, loud, and most importantly, bold enough to divert all attention onto you. It helped that at least two of you were skilled enough to get past the captains. The Quincy, I believe, was the one to take out Kurotsuchi. Thanks in no small part to the turmoil you caused, there was almost no fuss over me when I faked my death. Though, I am the one who pushed your group to such an action, so technically the thanks should be for me."

"Hold on." I gasped, _goddamn that hurt_. "How did you know…we would come in through West Rukongai?"

"Why, because of Kisuke Urahara, of course. That is his headquarters, in the Soul Society, at least. That is the only place in which you can enter through a Senkaimon without alerting the Seireitei." I glared. "Oh, come now. You cannot play fool with me. You work for the man, you must've been sent here under his orders." Amused realization appeared on his face. "Unless you weren't. Oh, my. Did you truly believe that Kisuke Urahara would assist you in rescuing Rukia Kuchiki out of the kindness of his heart? That he would send out mere children to tackle the whole of the Gotei 13?" I had gotten pissed at the blonde upon realizing that. Once I returned from the Soul Society, Yoruichi watched with a glass of milk as I stomped on the madman's face until I realized he was unconscious. He only calmed me down by explaining that he couldn't have left without leaving Karakura unguarded. When I later confronted him after meeting the Vizards, he explained that they avoided interacting with hollows, in fear of the hollow reiatsu inciting their inner hollows. Aizen lifted Rukia, forcing me away from my thoughts.

"Oh, well. Since this is the end anyway, I'll tell you one last thing. In case you were uninformed, Shinigami have four basic fighting methods: Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hoho, and Kido. Those are the four, but there is a limit to how strong a Shinigami can become in any one of them. No matter which subject they chose, there comes a point where they will have mastered it, and all their growth will stop there. As a Shinigami, they have reached their limit." Well, in order for a Shinigami to reach their full potential, they must master themselves, but explaining that to Aizen was akin to telling a fish how to fly.

"However, for some, it is possible to break past that wall, and exceed the limit that's built into all four techniques. And to do that, there's only one way: the Shinigami must become a hollow. Either that, or a hollow can become like a Shinigami. Either way, what is required is the removal of the barrier between the two existences. That is the key to making the spirit's power greater. The idea seemed plausible, so I studied it secretly. I began testing; focusing mostly of the transformation of hollows into Shinigami. Because none would notice a disappearance of hollows, of course. I was successful in creating hollows which came close. Hollows who could hide their reiatsu, hollows with zanpakuto-like abilities, even one that could destroy zanpakuto and fuse with Shinigami." Rukia's eyes widened in disgust and horror, but couldn't talk because of Aizen's grip on her neck. "But, in the end, none of them worked out as well as I had hoped. It appeared the theory was only that, destined to never be a reality. But, loathe as I am to admit, Kisuke Urahara succeeded where I had failed. The mechanism he invented removes the barrier dividing hollow and Shinigami, instantly making one into the other. It defied all logic within Soul Society. It is called the Hogyoku.

I knew immediately how dangerous it was. I believe Urahara came to the same conclusion. He attempted to destroy it, but found himself unable. Lacking any ability to destroy the Hogyoku, he created a shield around it, activated it, and hid it within a Konpaku in order to hide its location from those who would use it." He met Rukia's eyes. "You know, don't you? Why I want you, that is. With all the clues I have given you, you must've solved the puzzle by now. The place Urahara hid the Hogyoku is within you, Kuchiki Rukia." Her eyes widened in horror.

"When I learned that you disappeared in the world of the living, I realized right away that Urahara had something to do with it. All Shinigami in gigai are traceable by Soul Society, no matter where they go. But the gigai given to you by Urahara was untraceable, created without Reishi. It was one of many reasons why he was cast out of Soul Society, after all. Another is that a gigai made without Reishi would constantly be in the process of breaking down and devouring the Reishi of the Shinigami using it. They would never be able to recover reiryoku after using it, and eventually, slowly, the Shinigami would be reduced to a human. Do you understand? Urahara never wished to help you. He saw an opportunity to rid himself of a powerful tool, and used you to do it. Fortunately, we recovered you before it was too late, and I managed to go to Central 46 before you were presented to them. I killed-" Komamura surprised me, as I was entirely focused on keeping myself alive and waiting for the perfect opportunity. I was pretty much conscious in name only for most of the confrontation, but I managed to hear Aizen returning his focus on me.

"I apologize, I hadn't finished explaining everything yet, had I?" I faintly heard Uryu's voice, and I had just enough sensibility to warn him to not come closer. Orihime spoke, but Gin appeared in front of them, stopping all of my friends in their tracks. Soon, I realized. Almost everyone was here, Aizen was almost done. And then I could stop with the lies. The lies about how strong I was, the lies about how this was all new to me, the lies about how Aizen was winning.

"Now, Rukia Kuchiki, after I found you in the World of the Living, do you know what the first thing I did was? I went and executed the Central 46. I imagine you heard somewhat of a different story from Isane Kotetsu. She likely told you I faked my death and hid my whereabouts, and then slaughtered Central 46. Now, she was mostly right. However, she got one thing wrong. I killed the Central 46 before you were even captured by Abarai and your brother. Now, I assure you, it wasn't the easiest thing to act as the whole of the Central 46. Until I faked my death, either Gin, Tosen or I remained within the meeting chambers at all times. We made such decisions as sending Abarai and Kuchiki to ensure your capture, and the destruction of your gigai. To acquire the Hogyoku, I determined execution via Sokyoku to be the safest way. Since I knew Urahara would send someone to return the Hogyoku to him, I planned for the execution to fail. When a foreign object is planted directly within the soul, there are only two methods by which to remove it: Intense thermal disruption-like the Sokyoku-to evaporate the soul around the object, or some other method which breaks down the soul's cohesion and allows them to be separated. In the event of the execution failing, I searched for that other method." He pulled something from his robes. I couldn't tell all that well, as I was trying not to pass out. That cut from Byakuya was really making all the difference in staying awake compared to last time. I seemed to miss some of his monologue, because I saw the green spikes rise out of the ground without hearing him explain how he got the device. I blinked, and the Hogyoku was in Aizen's hand, a massive hole in Rukia's chest that, luckily for Aizen, would close pretty quickly.

"…expect it…Hogyoku…astounding technique…Kill her, Gin." Most of what Aizen said slipped past my ears, and I would've jumped up to stop the snake had I not known Byakuya was going to do that anyway. Kukaku appeared out of nowhere, and then finally, _finally_ , Yoruichi and Soi Fon appeared with the Gotei 13 on their asses. The sheer anticipation of what was to come brought me to full wakefulness. With the false Tensa in a reverse grip, I stabbed it into the ground and fought my way up. The pain from my wounds was gone, but the wounds themselves were still there. For now. A garganta opened, and Yoruichi and Soi Fon jumped away just in time to not get trapped within the Caja Negacion. I lifted my head to glare a hole through Aizen's head, and he watched me as I pulled myself up to my feet.

"Didn't I inform you that remaining still would be all that would keep you alive? Or have you given up in attempting to live?" I could feel the confusion in the air, as none except Rukia, Renji, Gin and Tosen knew what the megalomaniac was talking about.

"What I've given up, is playing along." Everyone who wasn't focused on me now was, and I could see a wide variety of emotions centered on me. Yoruichi was horrified at my condition, but she was also the only one who wasn't appalled at what I was doing.

"Playing along? Whatever do you mean?" I could see genuine confusion hidden somewhere in Aizen's tone. With a painful grunt, I lifted Zangetsu from the ground and turned it in my hand so the point was directed at the brunet who thought he was untouchable. Carefully, I brought my left hand up from across my abdomen to the hilt of my sword.

"What I mean is," My reiatsu exploded around me. More specifically, the brilliant, pure blue of my Quincy powers. To Byakuya's surprise, it rose to the level I was at when he and I fought. To everyone else's, it didn't stop there. Black manifested around me, and after I heard the sound of a chain snapping within my mind, red completed the trio. Most of the lieutenants present fell to their knees as my reiatsu skyrocketed without showing signs of slowing down. I could see some of the captains begin to sweat, and Yamamoto cracked an eye open when I rose above Kenpachi's level with his eyepatch off. Ukitake leaned on Kyoraku due to his illness, Rukia passed out, and Aizen's composure broke. Then I finished speaking.

" _Shatter Fate, Zangetsu._ " The wind picked up and kept me from everyone else's sight. I felt my clothes shift to the set Senjumaru gave me, and I pushed a little reiatsu into healing all of my wounds. The blood still clung to my skin, but I was no longer on the verge of dying. My blade shifted, and my hands were forced away from each other, each holding a hilt. The oversized trench knife representing my Quincy powers was held in my left hand, the large Khyber knife embodying my hollow powers in my right, and both a solid black to visually display my Shinigami powers. I flicked my Quincy blade, and the wind dispersed near instantly. No longer desperately trying to keep myself up, I stood to my full height, still just shorter than Chad. However, my reiatsu was hovering at around the same level Yamamoto kept his, something the bearded man appeared to notice. Before anyone could react, and more importantly, before Aizen could do anything unexpected, I shunpo'ed at my fastest speed while still in this form. Only Yoruichi was able to see anything, and the only thing she managed to catch was a black and white blur. All of the hollows within the garganta were cut to shreds, and both the garganta and the Caja Negacion dissipated because of it. Without slowing down, I appeared in front of Aizen, bisecting him from left hip to right shoulder with my Quincy blade. Tosen, oddly enough, was the first to move. He rushed at me, cursing my name. I hooked my Quincy blade around his Suzumushi and flipped him across my shoulders and onto his back on my right. He was swiftly decapitated with my hollow blade, and I remained still from there to fully take in what I had done.

I stopped the Winter War. Before any of my friends and allies could die, before Orihime could get captured, before she and Uryu could watch helplessly as my hollow rampaged on Ulquiorra, before Gin would die in vain attempting to kill Aizen, I stopped the War. That's three years of fighting, undone. Already, so many lives had been saved. Starrk, Grimmjow, Peshe, Yumichika, Omaeda. Lillinete wouldn't have to live without her literal other half, Nel wouldn't mourn next to a grave for nearly a month without eating, Ikkaku wouldn't have to get a liver replacement from drinking so much. Rukia wouldn't have to learn how to live with one leg, Kyoraku wouldn't lose an eye, Momo wouldn't attempt suicide multiple times, Uryu wouldn't have to learn how to use a crossbow after losing an arm, Dondochakka would keep his ability to walk. Orihime wouldn't-

"…Ichigo?" Yoruichi's soft and emotionally pained voice dragged me out of my thoughts. My head twitched towards her automatically, then I looked at her fully when I realized she spoke. She had a somber look on her face, like something terrible had happened and she was just now realizing it. "They weren't the first you've killed, were they?"

Oh. My shoulders sagged at her words, everything I had done in the past 10 years searing their way through my mind. I couldn't keep looking at her, instead turning away to stare at the bleeding halves of Aizen, his face permanently filled with shock. I didn't want to respond to that. I could feel the wave of nausea rear its head and I slammed it down. I didn't want to answer her, but I couldn't do that to Yoruichi. Tasting bile rising up the back of my throat, I opened my mouth.

"…No." The word came out as more of a croak than human speech, and I clamped my jaw shut.

"Ryoka." Yamamoto called out. Oh, right, he didn't know my name yet. I tilted my head just enough to show I was listening. "I trust that I don't have to force you to explain yourself." I nodded, and mentally thanked Zangetsu for remaining silent right now. I felt their acknowledgement of my thanks, as well as the warmth of their support flow through my body. Taking a steadying breath, I opened my mouth for no sound to come out. I closed it, inhaled one more time, and tried to speak again. A soft rasp crawled out of my throat and I shut my eyes in frustration. A third try it was.

"Captain's meeting." My voice was grating from my failed attempt to keep my emotions in check.

"Of course."

"My friends are joining."

"You are not in the position to make demands, Ryoka." I took in a shuddering breath. I wanted to argue that yes, I was in position to make demands, but now wasn't the time.

"Please. My friends need to know as well and I'm not sure I'll be able to explain again."

"We take priority over-"

"Silence, Captain Soi Fon. Ryoka, I accept your request. Your friends are permitted to join this Captain's meeting, and this one only." For now, that'll work. I'll find a way to convince him later.

"Thank you." With that settled, most of the Captain's began their leave. Kyoraku and Ukitake remained, actually walking over to me, from what their reiatsu signatures described. The silver haired man carefully placed a reassuring hand on my right shoulder. He stood at the very edge of my vision, staring mournfully at Aizen's corpse.

"…He did something terrible to you, didn't he?" Despite how much I fought it, my eyes burned as tears streamed down my face.

"…Yeah." Ukitake's gentle hand squeezed just the smallest bit on my shoulder. I would never be able to make it up to the fellow dual-wielder for his kindness. I sheathed my swords moments before Yoruichi appeared from under my left arm and hugged my side tightly. I could feel her tears wet my clothes, and her hands hovering over where my injuries previously were. Thanks entirely to my hollowfied senses, I picked up her soft gasp.

"Your injuries-!"

"Are gone." I soothed.

"But-"

"I'll need a bath, but I'm otherwise fine." Clearly not believing me, she snaked a hand under my armor and pulled away my shihakusho to reveal a lot of blood and no wounds. The Goddess of Flash stood, blinking uncomprehendingly. Kyoraku appeared, his head peering over my left shoulder.

"My, my, you seem incredibly skilled in Kaido for a Ryoka. Unless that's the power of your zanpakuto. Either way, quite an accomplishment."

"Little bit of both." I admitted. "I mostly attribute it to great teachers."

"Oh? And who might they be?" At the playfully toned question from the 8th Squad Captain, I sighed. It was helping that I wasn't looking at anyone's faces, but I was managing to calm down.

"You'll find out at the meeting."

"Goodie for us, then. Yama-jii ordered the meeting to start in an hour." My head dropped in exasperation.

"Of course he did." I sighed.


	4. Revelations

' **Think ya can handle this?** ' I mentally sighed, sitting on a bench right outside the Captain's meeting with my leg bouncing with nervous energy. They were waiting on me, though I'm sure Yamamoto was getting everything else out of the way while they waited.

' _I was gonna have to explain at some point. The longer I go without telling anybody, the worse things will get for everybody. This is the best for everyone._ '

'While I agree that explaining everything to everyone early on is most beneficial, going through your memories before you are ready will do more harm than good for you.'

' _I'll manage. The longer we go without telling them, the less time we have to prepare._ '

' **King/Ichigo…** '

' _I'm probably gonna manifest one or both of you while I talk._ ' There was a moment of frustration-filled silence from my zanpakuto.

' **Fine.** ' The Old Man's silence was one of disgruntled agreement. Focusing on my breathing, I nodded to myself a few times before getting up and pushing open the doors of the meeting hall without giving myself the chance to psyche me out. Everyone turned to face me, some bored, others irritated, and some concerned, but all expectant. I focused my gaze on Yamamoto, and scanned the room with my reiatsu sense instead of looking around. Orihime was next to Kenpachi, the two had this weird relationship I would never get the chance to understand. Anytime I got near Kenpachi to ask, he would chase me down for a fight, and Orihime was Orihime, so it was a lost cause. Chad was near Kyoraku, seeing as the two shared different versions of the 'don't fight unless you have to' mentality. Uryu was beside Nemu, as he became violently protective of the I-don't-know- _what_ -she-is once he saw how Kurotsuchi treated her. Yoruichi and Kukaku were on Byakuya's right, opposite Renji, and I could _feel_ how pissed off the nobleman was from how close the werecat was to him. Ganju was next to Unohana, he probably realized she was the Captain of the division Hanataro was in. Rukia was beside Ukitake, and I had to remind myself that she was his third seat right now. Gin was gone, probably in jail for like a day or so because he hadn't technically done anything wrong yet.

"Ryoka." I pulled in my reiatsu sense to focus entirely on Yamamoto. "We Captains have discussed all other important matters in this meeting. Some of those discussions remain unresolved, I trust your input will help resolve some of those matters. Begin whenever you are ready." Straightening my back, like I was about to give a report, I opened my mouth before blinking. I didn't know what to say. Or, more accurately, I had too much to say. My mouth slowly closed and my breath escaped me. My gaze fell down to the ground in front of Yamamoto before I looked the old man in the eyes.

"I don't know where to begin." The oldest Shinigami in the Seireitei stroked his beard once before lowering his hand again.

"We've time. The beginning." That narrowed it down a lot, but there were a lot of beginnings to explain. The beginning of Aizen's experimentations, the beginning of my existence, the beginning of the upcoming war. It took a moment, but I made a decision. Right or wrong, that is what I was going with.

"When I was nine, my mother was killed by a hollow. That wasn't my first experience with spirits, but it was the first time I realized what they were. From then on, I vowed to live up to my name, 'Number One Protector'. For six years, I defended spirits whose graves were disturbed and myself from those who thought I was some punk that wanted to be big on the street. Then, one night, a Shinigami entered my room looking for a hollow. She, of course, didn't think I could see her. At least, until I called her a burglar and planted my foot in her ass." Kyoraku attempted to hide his laughter with the least amount of effort possible. Yamamoto glared at him to silence him, but it did crap. "She informed me of Shinigami, the Seireitei, and Hollows, but I didn't believe it until a hollow attacked my home. Before you all go off on her for not realizing a hollow was about to attack the building _she was in_ , my at-the-time uncontrolled reiatsu muffled her reiatsu sense, forcing her to rely on sight and sound to track the hollow." Yamamoto glared for a moment, before nodding for me to go on.

"The hollow knocked out my father and captured one of my sisters with the intent to devour her, which is about when Rukia tied me up with Sho so I wouldn't interfere. I managed to break out of it, and gave myself up to the hollow under the belief that it would stop if I got what it wanted. Rukia injured herself knocking me out of the way, and realizing that she couldn't stop the hollow in her condition, offered her powers over to me. We both believed I would get Shinigami powers for a day at most and things would go back to normal, but I screwed that up. Not knowing what I was doing, I accidentally took all of her powers and was forced to cover for her while she recovered. Then Byakuya and Renji came to return her to the Seireitei and kill me. Byakuya nearly did the job, but I was saved at the last minute by Urahara Kisuke." The room turned cold at that name, around half of the Captains instantly recalling his exile. "Byakuya did, however, succeed in destroying the Shingami powers given to me by Rukia. Urahara informed me that I had Shinigami powers of my own and sent me through ridiculous and irritatingly vague trials to unlock them, as well as my Shikai. During that time, Yoruichi trained my friends as much as she could to prepare them for invading the Seireitei. Clearly, albeit barely, we succeeded.

Thanks to Kukaku and Ganju Shiba, we entered the Seireitei. Through sheer determination, we fought our way to Rukia's execution, and by pushing my limits farther than Shinigami thought possible, I learned Bankai in three days. I stopped Rukia's execution, barely beat Byakuya, and was on my way out with my friends when Aizen revealed his plans." Soi Fon rolled her eyes.

"You have given us no useful information, Ryoka. I thought you had proper backing when you announced you would explain something. It seems I was wrong." I glared at her out of the corner of my eye before continuing, now wasn't the time for her assumptions.

"Aizen monologued like the arrogant ass he was, acquired the Hogyoku, nearly killed Renji, Byakuya and I," I made sure to look at Soi Fon before I finished my sentence. "And then escaped with Kaname Tosen and Gin Ichimaru to Hueco Mundo." The room went dead quiet.

"…Excuse me, Kurosaki-san? That's not what happened." Unohana, as polite as ever, softly corrected. I turned my head just enough for the healer to see my eyes.

"He fused the Hogyoku he removed from Rukia with one he had built himself, and used that to create an army of Arrancar. In light of this, a team consisting of Captain of Squad 10 Toshiro Hitsugaya, Lieutenant of Squad 10 Rangiku Matsumoto, 3rd Seat of Squad 11 Ikkaku Madarame, 5th Seat of Squad 11 Yumichika Ayasegawa, Lieutenant of Squad 6 Renji Abarai and 3rd Seat of Squad 13 Rukia Kuchiki was sent to the World of the Living. They encountered several of Aizen's arrancars, and confirmed that the strength of the enemy was lieutenant-level at weakest. Approximately a week after the team was first stationed, Orihime Inoue was kidnapped for her powers. Once brought to the Head Captain's attention, he ordered that no one enter Hueco Mundo to rescue her, as the life of a single human was not worth such an endeavor." A few of the captains frowned, and I could feel the nervousness radiating from where Orihime stood. "I didn't listen, and entered Hueco Mundo with Urahara Kisuke's help alongside my friends Uryu Ishida and Yasutora Sado." I could feel supportive satisfaction from Chad.

"Kurosaki-san?" Kyoraku voiced. I tilted my head in acknowledgement. "You've been speaking in past tense this whole time, are you implying something by that?" I blinked in pseudo-thought, before straightening my head.

"No, I was asked to describe everything that occurred leading up to this, so I am." There was silence for a moment, but I could hear the gears turning in many of the captains' heads.

"None of what you are describing has occurred. _Yet_ , if I'm following what you're saying." I turned my head and locked eyes with Kyoraku, but otherwise didn't respond. I shifted my gaze back onto Yamamoto, who was leaning forward in his chair, a grim look on his face.

"Continue." Was all he said.

"Against orders, Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai entered Hueco Mundo to assist my friends and I in rescuing Orihime Inoue. We entered Aizen's palace, a fortress named Las Noches, and split off to cover more ground. We each defeated many lower-level arrancar, but encountered his Espada, the ten strongest soldiers in his army. The weakest was captain-class in strength. Sado was defeated, but fortunately not killed by the 5th ranking Espada, Nnoitora Gilga. Ishida and Abarai were incapacitated by the 8th rank, Szayelaporro Grantz, while the 9th rank, Aaroniero Arruruerie and Kuchiki's battle ended in mutual defeat." I sighed at what I was about to recall, shifted on my feet, and continued before it could get to me.

"I was killed by the 4th rank, Ulquiorra Cifer," I distinctly heard the sound of Orihime choking, "Resurrected by the 6th rank, Grimmjow Jeagerjaques with Inoue's help, and then bested Grimmjow in battle. Nnoitora entered the battlefield before I could recover, and nearly killed me had it not been for an arrancar I befriended that turned out to be the former 3rd rank, Neliel Tu Odelschvank. She, however, failed in defeating Nnoitora for complex reasons. I was then saved a second time, but by Zaraki Kenpachi. He was part of a small task force sent to eliminate as many arrancars as possible before they could enter the World of the Living, made up of himself and Captains Unohana, Kuchiki, and Kurotsuchi. Kenpachi killed Nnoitora, Kuchiki killed the 7th rank Zommari, and the 8th rank pissed off Kurotsuchi because he was screaming about achieving perfection. I still don't know what happened to the 8th rank." I heard an approving grunt from Kurotsuchi. "Kuchiki and Kenpachi took on the Zero rank Yammy while Unohana healed those wounded, while I took on the most powerful Espada, the 4th rank. Before any of you argue that Zero is above 4, Ulquiorra possessed a secret form that not even Aizen knew about. I know from experience he was able to perform feats the Zero Espada was unable to match. In our fight, Ulquiorra killed me a second time, which was witnessed by Ishida and Inoue." I heard a barely restrained sob from Orihime.

"Ulquiorra attempted to kill Ishida and Inoue, but was stopped by my hollow possessing me. I proceeded to fatally injure Ulquiorra, and nearly massacred Ishida had it not been for Ulquiorra breaking me out of my form. After Ulquiorra died, I dropped off Ishida and Inoue to a squared off area where several healers resided. Throughout all of this, Aizen entered the World of the Living alongside Ichimaru, Tosen, and the rank 1, 2, and 3 Espada. What awaited him was the whole of the Seireitei, who switched out Karakura Town for a false city. After all of the arrancar with Aizen were defeated, all of the captains assaulted Aizen, only to become trapped within his Shikai. Realizing that his illusions would make it nearly impossible to properly fight him, and that I was unaffected by them, the captains begrudgingly entrusted me to defeat the megalomaniac. Unohana joined me in traveling to the battle to heal me and restore my reiatsu. The first two times I took Aizen on, I failed, the second at the cost of both Gin Ichimaru's life and my powers. Kisuke, at the Head Captain's request, worked hard to find a way to return me to the battlefield, as the Seireiei couldn't find a way to immunize themselves from Aizen's Shikai. He succeeded, finding a way for nearly everyone in the Seireitei to transfer their power into a sword that would be used to re-ignite my powers once again.

Upon my return to the fight, many arrancar switched to our side. Those include the previously mentioned Neliel, Grimmjow, current 3rd rank Halibel, and the 1st rank Starrk, as well as all of their subordinates. In addition to every Shinigami exiled in the past 100 years." I breathed in and out heavily. "For the next three years, we mostly fought against Aizen's increasingly powerful army of arrancar, rarely getting the opportunity to fight him directly. Then after an assault in the middle of the night that resulted in many deaths and many more permanent injuries, I alone rushed into Aizen's fortress. I destroyed the fortress, most of the arrancar in it, and after nearly three days of constant battle, Aizen himself. It was only thanks to the combined efforts of Inoue, Unohana, and my own powers that allowed me to recover fully." I felt the literal heated glare of Yamamoto fall upon me.

"You traveled back in time to undo a few deaths and injuries?! How im-" My eyes stung with tears as I cut him off.

"Two days after I killed Aizen, a group of five invaded the Seireitei and declared war with the death of Chojiro Sasakibe." All of the old man's smoldering rage was gone. The temperature raised by no less than 20 degrees in the span of a couple of seconds, and an old voice so enraged it was freezing growled.

" _Explain._ " He was so demanding, I wasn't even sure I could've refused him if I _had_ to.

"A small squad for the purpose of sending a message appeared in the Seireitei without any warning and without setting off any alarms. They entered the 1st division barracks and pinned Lieutenant Sasakibe to your office wall declaring war, and announcing that they would return after seven days with the whole of their army. They did so, with a Quincy spear, and wearing Quincy clothing." I could feel Uryu's shock permeate the room. "Before they left, they announced that they were part of Yhwach's new army." Yamamoto's cane splintered.

" _I killed him._ "

"' _There exists a king under broken seal. After 900 years, he would regain his heart. After 90 more, he would regain his intellect. After 9 more, he would regain his power, and after 9 days, he would regain the world._ ' A Quincy prophecy, one that is mostly true."

" _Impossible._ "

"My mother was a pureblood Quincy. 6 years ago, her power was stolen right before she was able to kill the hollow that attacked us. In three years, the Quincy attack, and they leave nothing left. _That_ is why I came here. At the time, I wasn't strong enough, and I couldn't get strong enough fast enough. I'm strong enough now, but even I understand that I can't take on an entire army of captain-class fighters by myself. I'm here to give us the time and knowledge to train and prepare that we needed before." The amount of reiatsu and heat Yamamoto was expelling was enough that anyone who wasn't captain-class was leaning on someone that was, and just about everyone was sweating.

"You claim that the Quincy leave nothing left. You speak as if they won." The Head Captain snarled. I swallowed the lump in my throat, but something must've stayed because I was still ready to throw up.

"Nobody won." I blinked away my tears as best I could. "Kisuke Urahara and I survived. That's it. Hueco Mundo was in pieces, several cities in the World of the Living w-were destroyed, e-everyone in the Seireitei was e-eviscerated, a-and i-i-" I fought through my emotions and the urge to just curl into a ball. "I'm all that's left."

Something dark settled over the room. The blistering heat of Yamamoto's rage was switched out by a nauseating cold neither Toshiro nor Rukia could ever produce. It took everything I had to not vomit from the emotional overload. In front of me, Yamamoto somberly rested his forehead on his knuckles. To his right, Soi Fon was clenching her fists, biting her lip, and failing at hiding the glances towards Yoruichi. Next to her, Unohana had her hands in her sleeves and had a downcast look on her face. From my position, I couldn't see anyone else, but I could certainly feel the storm of depression and loss behind me. A warm body embraced me from the side, and I looked down to see the form of Yoruichi, slightly blurry from my tears. A gentle heat, like the warmth of a hearth, settled into my body, sent from Zangetsu.

"I believe you, Kurosaki. There are some questions I pray you can answer, but those can be saved for another time." Yamamoto's tone was halfway between guilt-filled self-hatred and colossal mental and emotional exhaustion. "For the training and preparation, we will hold a meeting next week at this same time and day. Are there any more matters to discuss?"

"…The Ryoka mentioned both Quincy heritage and hollow powers." Soi Fon brought up.

"…Do you have them under control?" Came the fire-user's tired response.

"Yes."

"Then they can be discussed later. Anything else?"

"…I request permission to assign myself as Kurosaki-san's personal nurse." Unohana asked. I flinched.

"State your reasoning, both his need for a personal nurse and the need to assign yourself."

"War can damage the mind worse than it can damage the body, and none in my squad is properly equipped to deal with the trauma Kurosaki-san has described."

"Describe how he has displayed being affected by such trauma." Unohana turned to me, and I flinched again. I didn't know how she would point it out this time, but she was always able to see through me.

"Kurosaki-san, since returning to the past, who have you properly looked at?" I swallowed the bile burning its way up my throat.

"…Yoruichi Shihoin and Renji Abarai."

"Why have you only looked at them?"

"…Yoruichi was the first person I saw when I returned. Renji would have screwed up my opportunity to kill Aizen."

"Why have you not looked at anyone else?"

"…I couldn't."

"You couldn't bring yourself, or you couldn't while maintaining your composure?"

"…I had to keep going. I couldn't run the risk of falling apart until Aizen was dead."

"I see. Head Captain, I believe I have presented all the evidence I need?"

"Indeed. Captain Unohana, until you determine him to be mentally healthy, you are assigned as Kurosaki's personal nurse. Meeting adjourned, you are all dismissed." Soi Fon and Toshiro were out the door immediately, their intention to train obvious. Most of the other Captains left at a more sedated pace, while everyone else remained to gather around me. Yoruichi tightened her grip on me, my friends all rushed to my sides at their own paces, and the Captain's I ended up having the strongest emotional attachments to kept just far enough to give me breathing room. Unohana stood in front of me with a gentle look, and Kyoraku and Ukitake hung next to each other on my right. Orihime joined Yoruichi in hugging me, but from behind. I felt her tears create a wet spot on my back.

"Kurosaki-kun," Her voice was muffled by my top. "I'm so sorry you had to go through all that."

"It won't happen again. That's all that matters." I soothed. Unohana's gaze hardened, but still mostly remained gentle. A large hand grasped my shoulder firmly, and I could instantly tell it was Chad's. His unyielding support was something I missed.

"You…mentioned your mother was a Quincy. And a secret faction of Quincy under the rule of someone named Yhwach." Uryu dazedly brought up. I nodded.

"My mother was Masaki Kurosaki. A pureblood Quincy, one that was supposed to marry your dad, but neither wanted it, so they made sure it didn't happen." The following silence more than spoke of everyone's shock.

"I-I see."

"As for Yhwach," I swallowed the lump in my throat that wouldn't stay down, "that can wait until later."

"…Can-can you use Quincy techniques?" I sensed Kyoraku and Ukitake perk up at that. I heard the shocked gasp of Uryu, as well as the awed squeak from Orihime as the crystalline blue of Blut Vene highlighted my veins. It would be easier to show rather than tell them, I told myself. No other reason. I was choosing not to speak.

"B-but-" Uryu choked on his words, but I already knew what he was gonna say. _I can't do that yet…_

"If you don't mind, Kurosaki-san, you mentioned having hollow powers." Ukitake asked.

"I did."

"And you wield Quincy powers as well." Oh, I knew what he was getting at.

"My zanpakuto, Zangetsu," I decided to cut to the chase, "Is an amalgamation of all my powers. My hollow and Quincy abilities fused with my Shinigami abilities, which is how I'm not in a constant state of dying." Those who weren't aware hollows and Quincy were poison to each other gasped in shock.

"D-dying?! Kurosaki-kun-!"

"I just explained that I'm fine, Inoue. Hollows and Quincy normally can't directly interact with each other, their reiatsu kinda act like poison to each other. Same should be happening to me, but the Shinigami part of me makes it so that I'm fine." I heard five simultaneous sighs of relief. Was Ganju still here? Yeah?! How has he remained quiet this whole time?! An arm slapped itself across my shoulders. From the shifting of her feet, Unohana noticed the effort I put into not attacking at the sudden and unexpected contact.

"No more depressing stuff today!" Shit, I jinxed it. "Before we left, you denied drinking with Big Sis and I because you cared about those stupid human laws! But you're of human drinking age, aren't you?!" He cut me off the moment my mouth opened to agree. "Doesn't matter! You, more than anyone else right now, need a drink! So come on! Drinks are on me!" Having arranged all of that without anyone agreeing to come or not, my boisterous cousin turned me around and pushed me out of the meeting hall. Yoruichi was still clinging to my side, her feet off the ground and a mildly shocked look on her face. Wait.

"Oi, Ganju, you lying asshole! You said you could barely lift me earlier, now you're pushing me along while I'm carrying someone?!" The pushing stopped, and my sandals stopped squeaking along the hardwood floor.

"Shit, you're right. Ichigo, you're too heavy! I can't push you to a bar!"

"You piece of-" The green-clad man stepped out from behind me and took off in a dead sprint, clearly just banking on my old hotheadedness to have me chase him to a bar. Luckily for him, I actually really did need a drink, so I played along. "Yoruichi, get on my back, I'm gonna beat the shit out of that asshole when I get him!" Cackling in excitement, the werecat swung herself around so her hands were gripping my shoulders and her knees were locked at my sides. Luckily, I had formed the habit of keeping Zangetsu in a sealed state purely because of the antics of her and a few others, so she didn't have to weave around my hollow blade to get comfortable. I charged with a grin on my face, keeping my pace equal to Ganju's. "Get back here, you liar!"

"Get'im, Berry-kun!" A laughing goddess of flash cheered as she pointed towards my 'target'. I sensed Kyoraku, Ukitake, Unohana, and my friends all leave the 1st division before they began rushing to follow my reiatsu. Luckily, Ganju's favorite bar in the Seireitei was relatively close to the meeting hall, only about half a mile or so. He had first heard of it from Kukaku reminiscing over all the drink's she had with Yoruichi over the years, then he had snuck in to steal a bottle during the invasion and practically fell in love. Every time it was his turn to pick a place to relax or celebrate, to _The Yellow Flag_ it was. It was where Squad 11 members hung around whenever they weren't on duty, so you usually had to pay attention else you got stabbed, punched, or worse, but it was a fun place. Ganju slid to a stop in front of the open sliding doors, a smile spread across his face. He was unprepared for my dropkick to the face. Yoruichi was, though, whooping in excitement as I twisted to land on my feet. As per usual with a Shiba, Ganju got up immediately.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR, CARROT TOP?!" Oh, I missed this.

"FOR CALLING ME HEAVY SO YOU COULD GET OUT OF WORK, YOU LAZY BASTARD!"

"MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE YOU _ARE_ HEAVY, YOU OVERSIZED OAF!" I heard Rukia's voice call out as she came closer, clearly missing our old 'fights' as much as I did. Yoruichi began laughing.

"I AIN'T HEAVY, BUT YOU CLEARLY CAN'T TELL SINCE EVERYTHING IS HEAVY TO YOU, YA MIDGET!"

"I AM NOT WEAK!"

"YOU NEEDED HELP OPENING A JUICE BOX!" Her face erupted in an embarrassed blush. Yoruichi wheezed.

"IT WAS A COMPLEX OBJECT WITH A CONFUSING OPENING PROCESS!"

"YOU STAB IT! IT TELLS YOU!" I noticed the Captains and my other friends interacting with each other, so I focused my attention on that while Shiro took control of my mouth to keep the game going with Rukia.

"Does this happen often?" Ukitake asked Orihime and Chad. The gentle giant nodded silently while Orihime hummed happily.

"Yup~. They're not _really_ angry, I think it's just how those two show the other that they care."

"I see." The silver haired man chuckled.

"Kurosaki-san is quite lively." Kyoraku mused, a tilt to his voice that displayed his doubts. Next to him, Unohana's unraveling gaze was locked onto me. She seemed to have noticed the tilt.

"Indeed." Was all she said.

"HOW _DARE_ YOU INSULT MY DRAWINGS?!" Rukia kicked me in the shin, before immediately hopping around and cradling her foot.

"Ow! What are you _made_ of?!" I smirked.

"Hierro and Blut Vene."

"I don't even know what those are!" She screeched. I laughed. Ganju boomed with laughter to my left.

"I'm liking this older Ichigo! Now hurry up, I wanna get plastered!" He burst through the doors and I followed his lead, sensing the rest of our group filtering in silently. Yoruichi shifted on my back, and her face was suddenly in front of mine, upside down.

"I'm disappointed in myself, I didn't even ask what your drink of choice is!" I shook my head and gently pushed her back before my gaze zeroed in on the bartender.

"Ganju, you said you're paying, right?!" I shouted.

"Hell yeah!"

"Then Barkeep, gimme the strongest you got!" An ecstatic snicker sounded behind my ears.

"Oh, I'm getting in on this!" The dark skinned beauty cheered.

"Make that three! I can out drink that orange-headed chump any day!" Renji bellowed.

"Is this a contest? No way will I miss this!" Rangiku popped out of nowhere. Oh yeah, this was her favorite bar, too. Though that was because it was hell for Toshiro to scour the thick crowd in search of her. He would give up more often than not and she would manage to put off paperwork for a day.

"I'm joining in too!" Ganju grinned.

"Now, I'm normally one to sit back and relax, but when things are this riled up, who am I to refuse?" Kyoraku exclaimed with a carefree smile.

"I think I'll just stick with the children for this one." Ukitake announced, leading to Uryu, Orihime, and Chad to flock to him. Everyone participating in the contest slid into a seat at the bar. The line went with Ganju at the far left, then Kyoraku, Yoruichi, me, Rangiku, and Renji. Six huge mugs manifested in front of us thanks to the weirdly fast bartender. A wide smile was on everyone's faces, and a happy mood filled the room, with the Shinigami not participating hyping everything up with their near-perfectly synchronized shouts of 'CHUG, CHUG, CHUG!'. In silent agreement, all the glasses lifted as one. The alcohol tasted sweet, had a maple hint, and would've made a human see double from a single gulp. As expected, Yoruichi's mug slammed against the bar an instant before mine, with Rangiku's following. Kyoraku gently set his cup down, Renji damn near broke his from the force he used, and Ganju fell backwards, half of his mug spilling onto his crimson face.

"Whoo! That's some strong stuff, Barkeep!" Kyoraku praised.

"We got that from this brewery over in East Rukongai, _Boar's Hat_. Great stuff, but most people can't stay awake long enough to enjoy it."

"Mos' people're WEAK!" Renji slurred, gripping onto the bar like his life depended on it.

"Whose ready for round 2?!" I yelled. Yoruichi and Rangiku cheered, before they were drowned out by the screams of damn near everyone else in the bar. I blinked, and the five mugs left were filled to the brim. Should be impossible, but I stopped questioning how the Bartender was so fast 8 years ago. Once again, the glasses were lifted, and a hint of maple greeted my tongue. Renji's cup was the first to drop, slipping from his fingers as he collapsed to the right. His shirt got soaked, his body rolled to the ground, and his snore filled the air. I finished my cup first, with Yoruichi and Rangiku slapping their cups on the bar at the same time after me. Kyoraku leisurely slid his empty mug onto the polished wood, a soft blush on his face that both Yoruichi and Rangiku mimicked. He chuckled well naturedly.

"Seems those two should wait to try the adult drinks. Luckily I managed to find some friends that can hold their liquor." I smirked, Yoruichi bouncing in her seat as she met my eyes.

"I didn't know you could drink this well, Berry-kun! I thought you would drop at the same times as Renji!" I barked out a laugh.

"Are you kidding? That pineapple couldn't stay sober if he drank grape juice! Now come on! Round 3 is waiting!" A deafening roar of approval from the crowd behind us, and the glasses were raised again.

It took four more rounds for Kyoraku to exit the contest, reasoning that Nanao would do worse than whatever hangover he'd have if he kept going. By that point, I was starting to get tipsy and Yoruichi and Rangiku were slurring their words. The busty blonde crashed at the 11th round, but I had enough of a clear head to be able to catch her. I made a mental promise to carry her to her apartment after I beat Yoruichi. That took another six rounds, because the chocolate skinned woman cheated by subtly using her Shunko to burn away the alcohol. I still won though, to the approving uproar as the purple haired woman's head fell to the counter.

Shiro used our high speed regeneration, as weak as it was in our sealed state, to get the alcohol out of our system as I picked up Yoruichi and Rangiku. Holding the goddess of flash up by the back of her collar, I maneuvered my hand to lift her off the stool and onto my back. Automatically, the busty woman's arms wrapped around my neck and her legs wrapped around my stomach. She nuzzled the back of my neck, my body warm from the high speed regeneration. Rangiku I swung up into a bridal carry, her head resting on the right side of my chest as she slept. Ukitake had left when Kyoraku did, taking Rukia and my human friends with them. Knowing the sick man, he probably offered them a place to sleep at the Squad 13 barracks. Unohana was waiting for me, sitting at a noticeably empty table. Someone probably tried to hit on her and then didn't get the message when she said no. She stood as I walked up to her, then gestured to the open door with a look in her face I wasn't supposed to be able to decipher. She wanted to talk about something, mostly likely privately. Nodding, I left the building and began on my way to Rangiku's home. The raven haired medic walked by my side, and we both absorbed the night atmosphere as we continued our unhurried stroll.

No matter how many times I saw it, the night sky of the Seireitei was breathtaking. The stars shone brilliantly, unlike in the World of the Living. It had a certain warmth to it that Hueco Mundo desperately lacked, although the small crescent hanging in the sky of the Soul Society couldn't hope to compare to the magnificent orb that watched over the endless desert. It was mostly quiet, but the soft rattling of lanterns from passing patrols, and the distant conversations that passed through the air created this soothing atmosphere I was never able to put a name to. Orihime had fixed that, though. She once absentmindedly called it 'lived in', and we had all unanimously decided it fit perfectly.

"Kurosaki-san." I grunted softly in acknowledgement. "Out of all the Captains, you have given me the most respect. Why is that?" I turned my head to see her curious eyes locked onto me, before smiling softly and looking forward.

"My father was a doctor, and my home was part clinic, so it started off as general respect for your job. After Aizen escaped, I woke up in the 4th division, and I both began to fear you and respect you more when I attempted to disobey your order to remain in bed." A soft giggle sounded from where my nurse was. "The more I got banged up, and the more time I spent in the 4th division recovering, the more the fear faded and the respect grew. I began to respect the patience you had for everything, especially since I couldn't hope to match it. How, in your own way, you protected those you cared about as well. A year into the second war, the Thousand Year Blood War, you assigned yourself as my personal nurse." I could tell the woman next to me raised an eyebrow at that.

"From then on, my respect just kept on growing. Since it was during war time and all, you had to cut corners you otherwise wouldn't, but you would stop me whenever I was pushing myself harder than I absolutely had to. Mid-fight, even, you'd just throw me off to the sideline and fight for me. Once, I was so dead set on joining a battle when I was injured, you knocked me out by punching me in the face." I chuckled at the memory. "I couldn't even tell you when, but at some point, we stopped being patient and nurse, and evolved to partners. It went from you making sure I don't push myself too far to us taking care of each other. We'd fight back to back, hold each other back from doing something stupid, heal each other's wounds." I felt it, as my smile turned sad.

"Keep each other from falling apart from all the death." I shook my head to rid myself of the emotions.

"W-whenever there'd be a break in all the fighting that wasn't spent recovering, we'd spar with each other. Sometimes Kenpachi would join us, but he'd always end up disappointed because he couldn't last as long as us. He had the power to make it fun, but he couldn't recover on his own, so he'd just drop at some point unless we stopped to heal him, and that would just ruin it."

"…So you know?" Unohana's voice was barely above a whisper. I sighed.

"I know a lot of things. I know you were the First Kenpachi, I know the Bankai's of Kyoraku and Yamamoto, I know some things about Toshiro's Bankai even he doesn't know, all the Zero Squad members and their specialties. I know what zanpakuto, Shikai, and Bankai truly are, I know how the exiled Shinigami from 100 years ago dealt with their hollowfication, why Aizen turned traitor, and that Gin was a good guy all along. I know that Hanataro's brother is a dick, that Zaraki thinks two handed sword fighting is a waste of a hand, what Kyoraku's alcohol limit is, everything wrong with Ukitake. I know what half of the Seireitei looks like devastated, what it feels like when everyone's lost hope, and what extents people will go to when they're only fighting to survive. I know that it feels like when the desperation sets in, what it feels like when you give up on trying to win, when everything settles and you realize the only thing you've been fighting for is gone. I know what it feels like to be the last one standing, the pain, the loneliness, the utter emptiness you get that you don't even think will stop when you die. I know what it feels like to watch your friends die, what it feels like when you've been _told_ your friend died, to see your permanently injured friends find a way to just perform basic acts without difficulty." Unohana's hand rested against my shoulder, and I realized I was crying. I felt the warmth of Zangetu's support fail at warming my body in the way they want it to, and the frustration from them at their inability to protect me from what's already happened.

We were standing at Rangiku's door, so I fished her key out from her pocket and entered the room. Walking through the place with the knowledge of someone who's been inside countless times, I gently laid the blonde down on her bed before continuing with a ritual that had been ingrained into me. I slipped Haineko out from her belt and rested it next to her nightstand, so she could quickly grab it in the case of an intruder. I carefully slipped her scarf from her neck and folded it, before placing it on top of her nightstand, right next to a cup of water I grabbed. Remembering how much she drank, and of what, I also opened the door to her bathroom and placed the bucket in her hall closet next to her in case she couldn't make it. I pulled up her blanket, making sure to keep her arms above it, before double checking everything and walking out.

"You're well acquainted with performing such a duty." Unohana frowned.

"I'm usually the person designated to make sure everyone gets home safe, because I can drink everyone under the table and still think clearly."

"I see."

"Alright," I sighed, "I don't have an official place to stay yet, so where do we go?"

"What about Shihouin-san?"

"When she drinks, she stays the night with whoever her drinking buddy is. Usually, that's either me, Kukaku, or Soi Fon."

"I thought Captain Soi Fon doesn't drink?"

"She usually doesn't, but she worships Yoruichi, who uses that knowledge to try to get her to become less stiff." Unohana giggled softly.

"I see. Then we shall spend the night within my room."

"Sure." It was far from the first time that I stayed the night in Unohana's room, even farther from the first time the two of us shared the same room period. She never minded, and actually kept a couple spare futons for that purpose.

"I believe I don't have to warn you of Isane's nightmares?"

"It took her a while, but she got used to it. I usually just fall back asleep once I see it's her anyway. Last time, you got another spare futon because you didn't want to deal with Isane and I trying to force the other to have the bed."

"I guess I'm going shopping tomorrow, then."

"I'll do the heavy-lifting."

"My, how gentlemanly of you."

"Honestly, you're the only one that doesn't make me regret being so. Yachiru, Rangiku, and Yumichika each buy enough to make me carry double my weight." The raven haired medic's laughter filled the air.


	5. The Time Traveler and the Kenpachi

The sunrise, like always, was beautiful. That beauty was magnified in the Soul Society. It painted the sky in hues of gold and deep crimson with a dominance of orange. For a few minutes, the stars would still be shining, standing out against the multitude of colors, and it all mashed together to create this image that everyone had to experience at least once. On days where we knew things would be more intense than normal, my friends and I would wake up early just to take in the sight and relax. We'd all meet up somewhere for an unobstructed sight, usually either on one of the many towers dotted around the Seireitei, or on Sokyoku hill. Orihime would bring picnic supplies, though we made sure Uryu made the food. It would be this quiet, pleasant affair where none of us would talk, to absorb the gentle atmosphere together.

Whenever they'd ask, I'd manifest Shiro and the Old Man, who would relax in their own ways. Old Man would stand there silently, usually next to the equally stoic Chad, and soak it all in as his cloak billowed about (whether there was a breeze or not). Shiro would lay his head in someone's lap, and once everyone got used to it, no one minded. He would never lay on the same person's lap twice in a row, it made me smile how he always remembered who the last person was. Orihime and Rukia would weave their fingers through his hair, and he would damn near fall asleep. Uryu, with the hollow's permission, would sew designs along the sleeves of his shihakusho. Renji would play games, like tic-tac-toe. When Unohana started joining us, she would bring tea. Whenever it was her turn with Shiro, she would read to him. Her reading voice was soothing, and everyone would end up listening in.

More often than not, those mornings would be the only good part of the day. During the worse points of the Blood War, they'd be the only good things we'd be able to experience for weeks at a time.

A yawn pulled me from my thoughts, and I looked over to the source, a rising Isane. She had a nightmare last night, and entered Unohana's abode for comfort. The gentle woman allowed the silver haired lieutenant to join her in her bed, probably because I was on the spare and she didn't want to deal with our crap at 1:30 in the morning. Isane wasn't told I was there, so she was probably going to freak as soon as she opened her eyes.

"Thank you, Unohana-taicho. I'm sorry for-AAAAHHHHHH!" Called it. A pillow hit my face, with barely any force behind it so I merely blinked from the cotton hitting my eye. "Unohana-taicho, there's a man in here with us!"

"Mm, yes, I know. There's nothing to worry about, Isane-chan." Trusting Unohana to deal with this, I looked back out the window to continue watching the sunrise.

"W-w-what?! But he's-he's the Ryoka from Kuchiki-san's execution!"

"Indeed he is. Isane-chan, this is Kurosaki Ichigo, a time traveler who came to warn us of a war, and my patient." Without shifting my gaze, I waved in greeting. "…This is no dream, Isane-chan. You can stop pinching yourself."

I was mildly intrigued by the fact that Isane had yet to notice the still sleeping form of Yoruichi on the spare futon.

"B-but-" She stopped talking when I rose from my position in the far corner of the room.

"You two can chat in here, I'm gonna go have breakfast."

"This shouldn't take too long, Kurosaki-san. I trust you know my preferences?" I nodded as I strapped the sealed Zangetsu to my left hip.

"Yeah. Should I make a plate for Isane, too?"

"I believe that would be too much for her right now."

"Got it. I'll be off, then. Yoruichi will wake on her own, grab some water, and then do her own thing, so just leave her be." I shut the door on my way out, and began lazily sauntering to the 4th Squad cafeteria. I passed by a good number of faceless Shinigami, and responded in kind whenever one greeted me. The majority of the division seemed either wary or outright afraid of me, which kinda made sense. I was an invader suspected of murdering one of the most 'gentle' captains of the Soul Society up until yesterday, after all. One who went toe-to-toe with Kenpachi of all people and won(albeit barely). As well as one who prevented the execution of a 'criminal', manhandled three lieutenants, beat one of the stronger captains, and slaughtered two more captains with ease after they had been revealed as traitors. Add on the rumors that were no doubt running around, and there was a good chance half the people in the Seireitei probably thought I was some sadistic murderer that could overpower Yamamoto and enjoyed eating children.

Wait, Rangiku _definitely_ saw me standing up while covered in fatal injuries and soaked in my own blood. Rumor mill might actually be painting me as a relentless immortal demon that leaves a trail of destruction wherever he goes.

' **Not really wrong, there.** '

' _Only in my Hollow Form. And only when I'm really pissed off._ ' Oh, Hanataro was leaving a patient's room a few feet away.

"Oi, Hanataro!" The timid guy jumped almost a foot in the air at my voice, before turning with shock and relief in his tired eyes. Damn, nearly forgot the guy probably gets less sleep than I do.

"O-oh, Kurosaki-san. It's so nice to see you're healthy." I smiled. He was always so tired, he never had the energy to raise his voice when he was excited. "Wait, if you don't mind, why are you in the 4th Squad? Are you hurt?" I chuckled, it was nice to see he never changed.

"No, not at all. Unohana has assigned herself to be my personal nurse, and I didn't have a place to stay, so I spent the night on her spare futon."

"Oh, that's good. W-wait, actually, it's a really big deal for someone to get a personal nurse, and Unohana-taicho has never assigned herself. What happened?" I tilted my head. Hanataro was usually caught up on gossip, people never bothered to censor themselves around him because he was so timid and meek.

"You haven't heard?"

"A-are you talking about the rumors? Oh, I've heard them, but I don't believe any of them. They're saying you're this evil monster, and I know you aren't, so I just assumed they were just rumors."

"Actually, I was curious about what people are painting me as. Why don't you join me for breakfast, you can tell me all the rumors and I can tell you what are true and what aren't?"

"Oh, I'd love to. I just finished checking up on my patients for now, so this is actually a great time."

"Well then, come on!" I grinned, waving for him to join me as I continued walking towards the cafeteria.

"Yes." He jogged a couple steps to walk by my side. Idle chat filled the short journey to the mess hall, which was mostly filled with recovering Shinigami and random squad members on break. Funnily enough, despite the fact that Squad 4 was as the bottom of the Shinigami food chain, everyone acknowledged that they had the best food. Most spent their breaks in the 4th Squad's cafeteria just because they had the best chefs, including Squad 11 members that didn't want to go all the way to the _Yellow Flag_ halfway across the Seireitei. Hanataro and I each grabbed a plate before filling them up, as the food was buffet-style. I grabbed a piece of bread and a cup of coffee for myself as I filled a plate for Unohana. I was more of a tea person, but coffee was the better drink during the war. Tea was a gentle wake-up call that softly warmed up the body and mind, while coffee was more of a violent slap in the face. Considering the enemies we faced could literally pop up out of our own shadows whenever they damn well pleased, we couldn't exactly go with the luxuries.

We took our seats at one of the few empty tables, and spent a few minutes eating in pleasant silence. My bread was gone pretty quickly, but I treasured my coffee as long as I could. Unohana and Isane came in when Hanataro was nearly done with his rice, and joined us at the table. I was sitting in the center, with Unohana to my right, Hanataro across from me, and Isane to the meek fourth-seat's left. The only delay was from the silver-haired woman grabbing her meal. It was when she sat back down with her food that the eternally exhausted medic began.

"So, um, Kurosaki-san, where would you like me to start?"

"Wherever you want."

"O-okay, then, uh, the most popular rumor going around is that you're a bloodthirsty demon sent from Hell to bring about the apocalypse."

"Hm, expected worse." I drawled.

"Th-they also say that you can survive any injury, and that you could beat all of the captains at once if you so wished."

"Not _all_ of them. A fair amount of the captains would be easy for me to deal with, but Yamamoto, Kyoraku, Ukitake, and Unohana here would be pretty difficult to beat at the same time. First part's pretty close to true, though. I'm tough to take down." I took a sip from my coffee, pointedly ignoring the horrified look from Isane.

"With the level of power you're describing, wouldn't combatting Kyoraku-taicho be rather simple?" Unohana asked.

"Well, yeah, if his Shikai wasn't so fucking annoying to deal with." The raven haired captain giggled into her tea.

"While I wouldn't use such crass language, I do agree his Katen Kyokotsu would be rather irritating to fight. Always changing the game."

"I don't care what Kyoraku says, his zanpakuto cheats. Hanataro, I'm sure that ain't it. Keep it coming."

"O-oh, yes, some rumors also mention that you are a creation of the Soul King, a hybrid of all three races."

"Well, I was made by a guy that _wanted_ to be the Soul King, but that's a confusing mess we're not gonna get into right now." Shiro started cackling.

' **Amazon's face is twitching.** ' A quick glance to my right showed that the zanpakuto was right, and it was a hilarious sight. Shiro had a nickname for almost everybody, with the only exceptions being people he truly respected. He called Isane 'Amazon' because she was so tall and was surprisingly muscular.

"O-oh, I, um." Aw, shit, I think I broke Hanataro. I smacked him lightly on the head, and he got a hold of himself. "Ah, sorry, sorry, um, yeah, there's also word going around that you're a time traveler." I nodded into my cup.

"Oh, yes, I can confirm that, Yamada-san." Unohana announced. The timid medic blinked in shock.

"Does-does that mean the rumor saying he came to stop a war is true?"

"Yeah. I already did that, actually. Now I'm here to help you guys prepare for the second war."

"S-s-second w-war?!" Came Isane's frightened response. I nodded again.

"Yup. Anything else, Hanataro?"

"N-nothing comes to mind."

"Alright, then." I stood up, grabbing the empty plates of the other three. "Let me know if that changes. In the meantime, you two have jobs to do, and Unohana and I have to go shopping."

'Isane is unresponsive. It would've been best to wait before informing them of the Blood War, what with them still coming to terms with your time traveling.'

' _Yeah, probably shouldn't have done that. They'll recover._ ' Unohana was on it, anyway, rubbing her lieutenant's back soothingly and talking her down. I turned away to give one of the waiting chefs the dirty dishes for them to wash. When I came back, Isane was kinda dazed, but was getting ready for her shift. Hanataro was gone, and Unohana was waiting patiently with her hands in her sleeves in front of her.

"Shall we go?" she asked.

"Lead the way." It was still early, the sun barely having been up for an hour at this point, but just about everything was open. The only exceptions were the bars, which usually opened at around noon. We passed by more than a few Shinigami, and around half ether gave us (me) a wide berth, or fearfully pretended they didn't see us(me). Outside of that, the walk to the East Gate was pleasant, mostly silent save for some small talk. It was when we exited the Seireitei, and the only people around to listen were Rukongai citizens, that Unohana began with the serious conversation.

"I pray you didn't think your actions last night went unnoticed." Shit. It was near impossible to hide something from the First Kenpachi, but this one wasn't used to my behavior, so it's possible she was talking about something different.

"Just to be clear, what actions are you talking about?" I felt her glare stab me in the side of the head.

"Why, your remaining awake all night, of course." _Fuck_.

"Well, you've gotta cut me _some_ slack. I just time traveled after going through two of the bloodiest wars in Soul Society's history."

"Yes, I've acknowledged that. Based on what you've told me, the version of me you're accustomed to was forced to permit your insomnia due to those same wars. I have no doubt that you were one of, if not the most, vital fighter on our side, and so I assume I did not interfere with your sleeping habits."

"Yeah, pretty much. Couldn't have me sleeping in the middle of an attack." I sighed.

"By your own account, the Quincy will not begin their attack for another three years."

"That's right."

"Then we have three years wherein we will suffer no consequences if you were to sleep more." I nodded, resigned to my fate.

"No point in arguing against this." I could beat her in a fight, but I never won an argument.

"Good. Now, are you going to pick a bed, or should I?"

"Go ahead, I would just grab whatever's cheapest."

* * *

We were browsing the stalls for food, my new futon being carried over my shoulder and a couple bags of groceries held in my opposite hand when a Hell Butterfly floated up to us. It landed on Unohana's finger, and informed us of a captains meeting to be held in an hour and a half regarding my powers. We agreed to continue the trip afterwards, and returned to Unohana's home in the Squad 4 barracks. At her request, I organized the beds so that Unohana was in the middle with me on her left and Isane on her right, whenever the lieutenant joined in. The nurse watched in amusement as I placed all the food we had gotten in their proper places without her input before we began on our trek to the 1st Division for the meeting. When we got there, the doors weren't opened yet, and a couple captains and lieutenants were waiting on us. Ukitake, Kyoraku, Byakuya, and Soi Fon were waiting with their lieutenants, and Isane immediately left to mingle with her sister and Nanao. Ukitake and Kyoraku walked over to us with gentle smiles across their faces, and the four of us sat down at a bench. The flowery captain and I sat on the outside while the First Kenpachi and the silver-haired captain sat on the inside.

"Didn't expect you to be so punctual, Kurosaki-san." Kyoraku without his eyepatch would have to take some getting used to. I sighed, faking irritation.

"As much as I look it, I'm not a delinquent. My hair is naturally orange, and I get into a lot of fights because gangs think I'm one, but I'm almost always near the top of my class in my studies and I enjoy reading literature. I missed a lot of school because of my Shinigami duties, so my teachers assume I cut class, but I never miss assignments and I'm somehow rarely late to class despite hollow attacks. Yeah, I'm a little rough around the edges, but just because I can't always think before entering a situation doesn't mean I'm dumb." That got the lazy captain laughing.

"Well, color me surprised! Aren't you the definition of 'don't judge a book by its cover'?" I laughed.

"Yeah, I get that a lot, doesn't help that I used to scowl at everybody and Rukia and I played around by getting into fights with each other." Now Ukitake and Unohana joined us in laughing. "Even I have to admit, it's tough to picture me as a nice guy when most Shinigami remember me as the guy who invaded their home, kicked the asses of two of the strongest captains, and prevented the execution of someone seen as a criminal!" Unohana hid her giggles behind her hand, and Ukitake rested a hand on his stomach as he chuckled.

"Yes, I imagine that would make things quite difficult!"

"Oh, you don't know the half of it! According to the rumors going around, I'm a 'demon sent from Hell to bring about the apocalypse'! I haven't even used my hollow powers yet!"

"Oh, dear me, how did _that_ come to pass?" Kyoraku's mouth was agape, with the corners curled up in clear amusement. I shrugged.

"I think it started when Rangiku saw me stand up with two giant gashes across my chest and covered in more blood than should reasonably be outside the body. She probably told someone, who told someone else, who told someone else, and it probably got lost in translation at some point."

"Well, now I'm interested: what else are people saying about you?"

"Oh, that I can survive any injury and can beat all of the captains at once. Not too far off."

"Not too far off? What do you mean?" Ukitake asked.

"At my strongest, I can regenerate from nearly any injury. As for fighting the captains, I can easily fight most of them as they are, but you three and Yamamoto are those that would give me some trouble." Ukitake raised an eyebrow.

"Kenpachi-taicho and Kuchiki-taicho would be easy for you?" I nodded.

"Zaraki is an animal, one that shrugs off any and all injuries, will prolong the fight if he's enjoying it, and goes off instinct alone. He can't recover from his wounds, doesn't pay attention to where he's getting hit, and his habit of prolonging the fight can bring about his undoing. Moreover, while instinct is great, you can't just fight mindlessly. Byakuya is the opposite, relying on skill and his zanpakuto's ability to overwhelm his opponents. He prefers to stand off to the side and let his zanpakuto do all the work, but don't let that confuse you into thinking he can't fight up close and personal. Out of the two, I'd say Byakuya is more dangerous because he knows what he's doing and can fight in various ways. Honestly, the only reason I can beat him is because I have pretty unfair abilities myself."

"I see, but the three of us would prove a hassle even with your 'unfair abilities'?" Kyoraku asked.

"How can you not? None of you three have abilities that are easily dealt with. _You_ have your games, _you_ can reflect any energy attack back at the enemy and you usually have the advantage physically because of your dual blades, and once _you_ start letting loose, you're Zaraki with a brain, without morals, and in possession of an insane healing factor." The trio slowly nodded in acceptance, before Kyoraku chuckled lightly.

"Well, well, I thought I could catch you off guard with that question, but I see you truly aren't a delinquent, if you can understand power isn't everything." I snorted.

"Yeah, power can do a lot, but it barely means crap if you don't know how to use it." Our conversation was cut off by a wooden cane striking the ground and the double doors of the meeting hall opening up. Looking around, I realized all the captains were here, excluding Gin.

"I do believe that's our cue." Ukitake announced before climbing to his feet. I smirked and followed the captains inside. Not having any proper place to stand, I went to where I was last meeting. This was about my powers anyway, so I was probably saving time. Yamamoto slammed his cane upon the ground a second time once everyone was in place.

"As the Hell Butterflies informed you all, this captains meeting is focused on the topic of Kurosaki Ichigo's powers. At the end of yesterday's meeting, you informed us that you had access to both Hollow and Quincy powers. Explain how you got them, what they are, and what level of control you have, in that order." Wow, there was no bullshit today. Okay, then.

"That's gonna be a little complicated of a story, so make sure to follow along. And if you can, don't interrupt." There was a nod from the aged Shinigami. "Alright, so: my powers, Hollow, Quincy, and Shinigami, I got from my birth. My mother was a pureblood Quincy noble, and a pretty powerful one at that. My father," My eyes flicked to Toshiro for a moment, "Captain of the 10th Division, Isshin Shiba." Well, that was quick. The room dropped 10 degrees as soon as I finished speaking.

"What?!" The white haired prodigy nearly screamed. Yamamoto held a hand up to silence the short captain.

"By his account, he left to the World of the Living on an investigation, and my parents met facing a Vasto Lorde-class hollow created by Aizen. The hollow infected my mother during their fight, and with the help of Kisuke Urahara, my father sacrificed his powers to seal it and stop it from killing my mother. When I was born, the sealed hollow transferred over to me. I was born with latent Shinigami and Quincy powers, which would've been fine if the hollow hadn't joined in. In order to prevent my soul from killing itself, the hollow and Quincy powers fused with my forming zanpakuto, creating Zangetsu. In my Shikai, I have access to the basic powers of Hollows, Quincies, and Shinigami. Using them, I have incredible defense, blistering speed, overwhelming strength, powerful regeneration, and immense destructive capabilities. As for control, I don't use more than I need."

"And what of your Bankai, if you have one?" The fire-user asked.

"Oh, I've got one, but up until I need to use it, I'm not gonna describe it. All I will say, is that out of every Shinigami currently in the Seireitei, no one other than you are or become strong enough to make me use my Bankai." I could feel the incredulousness and disbelief seeping from most of the captains.

"Arrogant Ryoka, no Shikai is powerful enough to take on a Bankai, let alone that of a captain's." Soi Fon growled. I rolled my eyes.

"I can demonstrate my Shikai in a spar." I wasn't sure if it was because I knew him so well or what, but I could _feel_ Zaraki grinning.

"Hehehe, I'll take you on." The captain of the 11th accepted.

"Wasn't an offer. I already know who I'd want to spar with if Yamamoto accepts." The bearded man in question leveled a heated glare my way, probably due to my casual use of his name.

"And where would this spar take place?"

"There is a large cave that I originally trained for Bankai in, it was made by Kisuke Urahara with assistance from Yoruichi Shihoin and has a healing spring."

"Hm. Then you are permitted. Who is it that you chose to spare with?" I threw my thumb over my shoulder, pointed outward towards the one person Yamamoto would probably prefer I didn't fight.

"Unohana." Immediately, those who didn't know the truth behind the raven haired medic expressed their disapproval. Byakuya silently sneered.

"She is merely a medic!" Komamura roared.

"You buffoon, you can't display fighting capabilities against someone who doesn't fight!" Kurotsuchi hissed.

"Lowly Ryoka, how-"

"Do you know what you are getting yourself into, Kurosaki?" Yamamoto's heavy voice silenced the rage of the uninformed. It was clear to me that he was indirectly asking if I knew the truth behind her mask. I nodded, my face hardened.

"I do, more than you'd probably believe."

"Then lead us to this training cavern." A baffled Soi Fon and Kurotsuchi turned to the ancient captain.

"What?!"

"You will understand why I made such a decision in due time." With that, Yamamoto stood up, and the doors opened. "Go on, Kurosaki." I nodded again and turned to leave the room. Almost immediately upon leaving the room, Renji and Rangiku popped up on either side of me.

"What the hell are you thinking, you damned carrot top!" Renji whisper-shouted.

"Yeah, Unohana-taicho can be scary at times, but that doesn't mean you should beat up the best medic we've got!" the blonde protested.

"Do either of you know the full meaning of the name 'Kenpachi'?" I asked, completely at ease.

"Uh, it's the last name of Kenpachi-taicho." The pineapple answered like it was obvious.

"Zaraki doesn't have a last name." I responded. Renji nearly tripped. Rangiku used that as an excuse to grope my arm. "'Kenpachi' is a title, not a name. It is given to the most powerful and vicious fighter in the Seireitei, and Zaraki is the 11th holder of the name."

"Interesting history lesson, but why is that important right now?" The blonde woman asked.

"Unohana was the first." Now Renji _did_ trip. Rangiku, meanwhile, was so shocked that she froze, her grip loosening on my arm until it slipped out. From the sound of it, it took Toshiro elbowing her to snap her out of it. She then ran back up to me at the same time Renji picked himself up.

"Wait, wait, wait, what?!" The lieutenant of the 10th yelled.

"Yep."

"You can't expect me to-" she looked over to the gentle medic for a moment before looking back at me. "Actually, that kinda makes sense. Why doesn't she fight anymore? Not that I'm not grateful!"

"When Zaraki was a kid, she fought him. He had such overwhelming power, and his instincts were so incredible, he nearly beat her, though she wasn't in her Bankai. He realized he was about to win, and sealed off his own power so they could keep fighting longer, which lead to his defeat. Unohana was so depressed over indirectly being the reason Zaraki sealed away his power, or more specifically, the reason that he was no longer powerful enough to be a good fight, and quit being a Kenpachi to become a healer. Where I come from, we needed his power, so she and I nearly murdered him for a week, to chip away at his self-imposed seal until it broke. Once she, quote 'undid her sin', she returned to being a fighter, one that met all the requirements to be one of our front-liners." Renji gulped before speaking.

"And what does it take to be a 'front-liner'?" I snorted half-heartedly at the question.

"Hit like a truck, be able to fight for days on end, tank like a motherfucker, and be able to heal yourself. Our job was to keep the small fry at bay while everyone else recovered, planned, or both."

"Who were the front-liners?"

"Unohana, Zaraki, my friend Chad, my dad and I. Unohana's specialty is healing, Yachiru learned how to use Kaido to heal Zaraki mid-fight, Chad learned a few tricks I don't really understand, my dad is like a brick house, and I'm built to fight."

"You're gonna need to explain that last one a bit more." The redhead prompted.

"Eh, you'll see when I break Unohana out of her shell." I blinked. "Do gotta warn you though; when we really get into it, our spars get _really_ bloody." There was a moment of warry silence where Rangiku and Renji exchanged a look before they retreated to chat with the other lieutenants. I sighed in relief when I felt Isane's glare leave the back of my head. Since I announced I wanted to spar with Unohana, she had begun to try to kill me with her eyes, and didn't let up until just now. We entered the cave relatively quickly, only took about half an hour. All the lieutenants save for Renji stared in awe, and I could feel how smug Renji got as he explained this was where he got Bankai. Most of the captains gave it a passing glance, save for Kyoraku, who immediately saw the healing spring.

A single glance towards the collection of captains was all I needed to understand how uncomfortable most of them were. Yamamoto, Kyoraku, Ukitake, and Zaraki acting so serious was certainly worrisome if one didn't know why. I pointed to a cliff overlooking where I wanted the fight to start.

"Go over there if you want to watch. You'll still be able to hear us clearly, and you don't run the risk of getting caught in the crossfire." All was silent as almost everyone moved over to where I had asked. Unohana and I stood a little ways away from each other and in clear sight of the spectators. Without hesitation, I drew Zangetsu, but Unohana didn't respond in kind. I rolled my eyes, but I knew this was going to happen. Breaking her out of her shell wouldn't be easy, what with how long she had been hiding in it.

' **Oi, I wanna watch from outside.** '

'I do as well, though I wish to discuss some matters with Yamamoto.' I shrugged before looking up, specifically at the bearded captain.

"Yo, I'm about to manifest my spirits. Yamamoto, one of my spirits looks like Yhwach, don't attack him." The fire-wielder was silent for a moment, before nodding. Immediately, Shiro and the Old Man were behind me. Because he probably didn't give a shit, Shiro hopped up to join the spectators without hesitation. The Old Man followed, but used Hirenkyaku instead of jumping.

"Hollow!"

" **Shut yer trap, Bumblebee. I ain't gonna hurt any o' ya. Unless ya give me a reas'n, at least.** " Even from down here, I could hear the ensuing growl from Soi Fon. " **Oi, Lungs!** "

"…U-uh, me?" A confused Ukitake asked.

" **Ye, you! Siddown, imma lay my head in yer lap!** " And now Kyoraku was laughing. Throughout all of this, Unohana was blinking in surprise in front of me.

"Shiro likes laying his head in people's laps." I explained. "Old Man, or Ossan for short, like to stand around with his cloak flapping around."

"Odd traits for an odd zanpakuto, I presume?"

"Not as odd as you might think. Shiro likes that because when our Mom was alive, I would lay my head in her lap to relax. Ossan likes the cloak flapping thing because I liked to play Kamen Rider when I was a kid and I felt most invincible then. He says that's when my inner world would look its best, meaning when I was mentally best." Her eyes widened at my words. I adjusted my stance so I was holding my sealed blade with both hands. "Moving on!" I felt the attention of all the captains and lieutenants focus on me.

"You've all heard part of my release phrase. In case you haven't put the pieces together from Kyoraku and Ukitake, dual wielders have two halves of their release phrases. For those two, at least, they can't release their swords without speaking the complete phrases. I can individually release my blade by speaking only half my release phrase, which limits me to only the set of abilities I release. When I speak my full release phrase, I have access to all of my abilities, but I change physically due to my hollow powers. I say this in warning, don't attack me because of how I look, or I throw you across this cave." I could've sworn I heard Soi Fon growl again, but it was quiet enough I wasn't sure. My reiatsu skyrocketed, and my triage of colors encircled me.

"Now, _Shatter Fate and Tear the Heaven's Asunder, Zangetsu!_ " There was an explosion of power that kicked up dust in its wake, as per usual when I released my complete Shikai. It was helpful for distracting enemies on the battlefield, in addition to serving as a good warning of who they were up against. At some point, I got into the habit of rushing out from the cloud and beginning my assault before anyone could recover, so it was uncomfortable just standing still after my release. I could feel a storm of emotions centered around me manifest as soon as the cloud dissipated. A lot of suspicion, uncomfortably prying interest that was probably from Kurotsuchi, general disgust from Soi Fon, and gentle curiosity I immediately placed as from my three favorite captains.

The intense focus on me wasn't all that surprising. My power, while not flashy, wasn't exactly subtle, either. Just as with my incomplete release, my blade separated into two, and in the same shapes, only Shiro's blade was white. I also had the markings from our Hollow Form spreading out from where my hollow hole normally sat, though only the left side reached all the way to my head. My left eye also hollowfied, the white of my eye melting to black and my brown eye shifting to a shining gold. One of my horns also grew out of my head, sharp, long, and curved. Unohana stared at me in curious fascination.

"Quite the display." She breathed. I shrugged.

"Eh, I don't really care about being flashy. I'd say I could go without, but it's a good distraction." I readjusted my grip on my blades and shifted on my feet. "You're gonna wanna draw Minazuki."

"Is this really all that necessary? As your nurse, I'd much prefer to not be one of the reasons you require increased care." I narrowed my eyes.

"For most of the war, Yhwach sent out near-endless waves of foot soldiers to keep us exhausted and unable to properly recover. Our tacticians formed a group of fighters who served the purpose of keeping those foot soldiers at bay, so everyone else could heal, plan, and conserve their energy. That group, the front-liners, were the most important people in the war, and the selection process was unforgiving. With our job, we couldn't afford to have a weak link. At our best, you and I made up two-fifths of that group, so _yes_ , you deciding to join the fight _is_ necessary." She drummed her fingers along the hilt of her sword.

"You came here to change that outcome, didn't you?"

"You keep throwing excuses, and I'm gonna start swinging whether you've got your blade out or not."

"You're an honorable man, surely you wouldn't-"

" _You_ taught me to fight dirty." She blinked, and I watched as her mouth repeatedly opened and shut in an effort to refute that. I rolled my eyes and cracked my neck. This is going to be irritating.

"Alright, I'm starting." She was right, I was honorable, so I gave her the warning she was too ruthless to give. Deciding to start things off easy, I shot forward in Shunpo. Her eyes widened and she backed out of the way of my first swing. The medic retreated as fast as she could while raising her arm for a Kido spell, and I smirked before following her. A crimson orb manifested in her hands, and I watched the shock fill her eyes as I kept charging forth.

" _Hado #31: Shakkaho!_ " The crimson orb exploded in my face, and I burst through the smoke without so much as a scratch with Ossan's blade rushing forward towards her neck. My smile grew when she leaned back, my experienced eyes tracking the way she kept herself from instinctively punching out. A twitch of my arm, and Ossan's blade was rushing towards the ground, edge down in hopes of striking the woman. It was like seeing hairline fractures form in her shell, the way she rolled to the left and came up with another spell ready.

" _Hado #58: Tenran!_ " Shiro's blade snapped out, the wind pressure from my slash canceling out the tornado coming at me. I was in front of Unohana in an instant, with my hollow blade cutting across the air with the intent to kill. " _Bakudo #81: Danku!_ "

As soon as the wall formed, it was cut down, but the delay was enough for the medic to retreat a couple steps, not like that would do much.

" _Bakudo #4: Hainawa!_ " The bright yellow rope flew at me, and I didn't even have to think, black reiatsu leaking off of Ossan's rising blade. I decided to cut her some slack for now, leaving the Getsuga nameless. The Bakudo spell vaporized anyway, but the slash was weak enough for the experienced captain to shunpo to its right. I heard a few unfortunate rock formations take the brunt of the heaven-piercer, but I didn't care. I swung out horizontally with my Quincy blade, brilliant blue arcing off of it as a splatter of Heilig Pfeils.

" _Bakudo #39: Enkosen!_ " The shield of reiatsu blocked two arrows before breaking, and I was right behind them with Shiro's blade hurdling towards Unohana in a diagonal slash. She barely managed to roll to the left without injury, only to come up with my cero pointed at her from my horn. " _Bakudo #44: Sekisho!_ " She was smart enough to keep on running to the side as the red blast tore the shield apart like paper. I sonido'ed in front of her, and my smirk grew minutely when she was unable to stop herself from socking me in the jaw. My head snapped to the left, but I brought my right blade inward. She shunpo'ed in retreat, and I followed with Shiro's blade brought back for a heavy swing. " _Bakudo #30: Shitotsu Sansen!_ " My hollow blade shattered two of the triangles, and the final one broke apart against my Hierro.

"Come on! I'm built to fight, just indulge yourself!" Her response was a silent Sokatsui to my face that tussled my hair. "I've told you before, you and I used to fight all the time! Even Zaraki couldn't keep up!" She flinched, and shunpo'ed away, leaving Ossan's blade to cut a stalagmite in half.

"Perhaps Zaraki is the answer!" The Old Man called from his perch next to an unhappy Yamamoto.

"Oh, yeah, thanks Old Man!" I shouted back as I leveled his blade at Unohana. " _Licht Regen!_ " A hurricane of arrows flew out of the blade, forcing the woman to hide behind rock formations. "Remember our chat last night? You 'undid your sin'!" I canceled the storm of light and began treading towards the pillar the medic was hiding behind. "Yeah, it's kinda still there right now, but that was gonna be one of the things we needed to do to prep for the war anyway. You've got no reason to hold yourself back, and you told me yourself I'm the best fight you've ever had, so just let loose, _Yachiru_!" I cut the base of the pillar, only for something to smack it into my face and send me stumbling back. I gathered my bearings just quick enough to block the blur of silver, and my grin grew unhindered on my face, mirroring the one upon the face of the First Kenpachi.

" _Bankai,_ "A substance eerily similar to blood soaked her blade, changing the shape while still held against Shiro's sword. Her reiatsu exploded, but it wasn't even enough to make me shift my feet. " _Minazuki._ " Ossan's blade lunged out at her throat, only striking air as she leaned out of the way before she tore into a frenzy of slashes that I matched with glee.

* * *

Atop the cliff overlooking the battle-turned-slaughter, Abarai swallowed the lump in his throat as a drop of cold sweat trailed down the side of his head.

"What the hell?" he shakily asked. Unohana's lieutenant was next to him, just as frightened.

"I've never seen Unohana-taicho like this…" She shivered. "It's so scary…"

"What did that Ryoka do to her?" Soi Fon snarled.

"He broke her out of her shell, Soi Fon-taicho." Yamamoto gravely informed. The announcement shocked nearly everyone atop the cliff.

"What?" The Captain of the Stealth Force breathed.

"Years ago, when the Gotei 13 was still forming," Kyoraku began, just as serious as his mentor, "Retsu Unohana, or as she's really called, Yachiru Unohana was one of the most vicious, bloodthirsty, and ruthless fighters in the Soul Society. She slaughtered anything and everything in her search for a good fight, but unlike Kenpachi-taicho here, she wouldn't hold herself back or prolong fights to enjoy them."

"Indeed." Ukitake confirmed. "In her mind, if you had to restrain yourself or make an effort to lengthen the fight, they weren't good enough. The closest she ever got, ironically enough, was when she encountered Kenpachi-taicho. I don't know what happened, but after she won, she swore off fighting and became a medic. Until now, at least." Yamamoto gripped his cane harder.

"This war Kurosaki is preparing us for must truly be terrible if he is going to such extents."

" **Ya didn't get that from the 'I'm all that's left' speech?** " Kurosaki's hollow drawled, his head in Ukitake's lap with the sick captain analyzing the designs woven into the sleeves of the spirit's shihakusho. The head captain's eyes flicked to the bleached copy of the hybrid fighting below, before returning to watch the fight with a troubled look in his gaze.

"May I speak, Yamamoto-soutaicho?" Hisagi asked.

"You may."

"While the truth behind Unohana-taicho is not something to ignore, I believe the more pressing matter is Kurosaki-san's capabilities."

"I can't help but agree with Hisagi-fukutaicho." Ise spoke up. "He brushed off each Kido spell Unohana-taicho sent his way without any apparent effort, and as difficult as it is for me to watch, he is matching her in her Bankai blow for blow."

"He _did_ tell us that he could beat nearly any captain without his Bankai." Kyoraku smirked.

"Kurotsuchi-taicho, give us your analysis." Yamamoto grunted.

"So far, he has displayed sufficient strength to generate gusts of wind powerful enough to cancel out a captain's Tenran, and cleave through pillars of rock without apparent effort. He mentioned that he would throw any who attacked him across this cave, and based on this information, he can do just that. He's ran headfirst into both a captain's Shakkaho and Sokatsui without taking any damage, his attacks have either shattered or vaporized every Kido used against him, this includes the Danku she cast, which is supposed to be unbreakable to any Kido below it. I can't follow him with my eyes, despite the many modifications I've made to them, and he has regenerated multiple severed limbs since Unohana has released her Bankai." Came the screechy response.

"Does his claim hold true?" Kuchiki monotoned.

"I cannot speak for the captains who have yet to release their Bankai's, but my calculations state that the Bankai's of those I know about would be ineffective for defeating the time traveler. Even my own, as the reiatsu levels Kurosaki has demonstrated is more than enough to cancel out my poisons."

"Including my Senbonzakura Kageyoshi?" The mad scientist barked out a laugh.

"Ha! Based on the defense he has demonstrated, your blades would be as effective as a gust of wind." At those words, the noble shifted his gaze over to the bloodbath below and remained silent.

"We've confirmed Kurosaki-san's claim. Should we tell them to stop?" Komamura boomed.

"Let them enjoy themselves. This is the first time Ichigo has allowed himself to relax in months." The Quincy spirit announced.

" **Ev'n if ya don't, they can't hear ya and its suicide ta jump in there.** "

"That's fine, I wanna join!" Kenpachi bellowed as he unsheathed his sword.

" **I jus' said its suicide, Spikes. That includes you. You ain't built fer their type o' fight.** " Confused, eyepatch-wearing captain peered over the edge of the cliff just in time to watch Unohana smack Kurosaki with his own severed arm as the orange haired time traveler cut a chunk out of her right side with his white blade.

"Shit." He breathed.

"Kusajishi-fukutaicho learned Kaido to help you last longer in your spars with Ichigo and Unohana, but her abilities were unable to keep up with them." At the disappointed look that appeared on Kenpachi's face, the cloaked spirit continued. "Do not despair. Unohana specializes in healing, Ichigo's strength is in his overwhelming power, while your specialty is in your cutting power." The rugged captain looked back at the Quincy manifestation.

"Eh? Cuttin' power?" 'Ossan' nodded.

"Indeed. Your ability to cut is so incredible that not even Ichigo's Hierro or Blut Vene can stand up to it."

"How's that special? She's cuttin' him up right now!"

"Ichigo isn't using his defensive powers, instead exercising his regenerative capabilities. He did mention that this was a spar, after all."

" **Yeah, if King were usin' his Hierro 'r Blut, Unohana wouldn' ev'n break skin.** "

"Oh, yeah? As far as I can tell, there's nothin' I can cut that the others can't." There was and excited shout from Unohana, before the tip of Kurosaki's horn flew up onto the cliff. The item bounced across the ground a couple times before settling, wherein Nemu picked it up at her captain's request.

"That is due to your efforts to enjoy battle. You have sealed away your power to combat weaker opponents for so long that even when removing your eyepatch, a large portion of your power is still sealed. In your last battle with Ichigo, if I recall correctly, you understood the power of a Shinigami fighting with their zanpakuto."

"Thought I'd give it a try. Ain't workin'."

" **That's 'cause yer sealin' yer power away, an' yer zanpakuto with it. Ya break that seal ya got on yer power, ya can use yer zanpakuto.** "

"Then how do I do that?"

" **Don' worry 'bout it. King'll help ya out, just like ev'ryone else.** " A beam of crimson fired out below, tearing through four cliffs before it cut out.

"Captain, we _could_ stop him, if we wanted to, right?" Marechiyo asked hesitantly.

"Of course." The short woman scoffed. The bleached spirit's gaze locked onto said woman's form with uncomfortable seriousness.

" **Keep talkin' like he's against ya, and I'm rippin' yer head off.** "

"Silence yourself, Hollow. He is still a Ryoka, one stronger than most, but a Ryoka nonetheless. We have entertained his crazed notions for no other reason than curiosity. If we so much as doubt that he is on our side, we will execute him, simple as that." Before anyone could speak to the contrary, the pale zanpakuto was in front of the assassin. His left hand was gripping the back of her neck, and his ivory blade was held reverse against the hollow of her throat, blood already trailing from the shallow cut. He glowered down at her with fiery rage, and a silent promise of death.

"Crazed notions?" The zanpakuto's other half began, his tone dark and threatening. "How naïve can you be, to still believe Ichigo is speaking the words of a madman? Have you not noticed the difference in power between when he first invaded and now? Did you not hear the information he gave that even you were not aware of? Were you not present to experience the Head Captains' rage at hearing that an enemy thought dead for a thousand years has returned? To still believe his warnings of a shattered future are blasphemy is to both live in childish ignorance and to spit upon his experiences. Continue with your threats at your own risk, Captain of the Onmitsukido, Ichigo trusts that we would not kill you without good reason." Without prompting, the hollow's blade disappeared in a crimson flash, and he let go of the woman by shoving her harshly into her overweight lieutenant. As the short captain held a hand to the wound on her throat, she glared at the manifestation that nearly decapitated her. He responded in kind, before growling and stalking over to where he previously laid.

The Quincy spirit shifted his harsh gaze onto Yamamoto, who seemed nearly as furious as the zanpakuto. A silent agreement passed between them before the ancient captain turned away from the fight below.

"Soi Fon-taicho, even I had my suspicions at hearing Kurosaki's claims. However, he proved to be knowledgeable about information never documented and never passed by word of mouth. I can recognize the horrors of war weighing him down, and he has described many things that were previously unexplainable. He has come with a warning of war, as well as means to prepare for it we previously thought impossible. Already, he has returned one of the Gotei 13's greatest fighters to the battlefield, has indirectly begun assisting Kenpachi Zaraki in gaining access to his zanpakuto, and has promised much more. It would do you good to both believe him, and understand he is on the side of the Soul Society."

"…Understood, Head Captain."

"This impromptu meeting is adjourned. You all are free to do as you wish." Having said his piece, Yamamoto and his lieutenant disappeared in shunpo. Without comment, Kuchiki, Komamura, and Iba left on foot. Kenpachi found a rock and sat upon it, watching as Yachiru snacked on candy. With a face set in anger, Soi Fon grabbed her lieutenant and dragged him off to train. Kurotsuchi pulled a silver cube from his coat, placed it on the ground, and ordered his 'daughter' to collect any and all of Kurosaki's severed limbs for testing as the cube folded out into a portable lab. Toshiro sat down next to Ukitake, Kyoraku, and the currently resting Hollow. The leftover lieutenants huddled together to maintain privacy. The Quincy remained standing at the edge of the cliff, overlooking the ongoing spar.

"Hollow, would you mind if I asked some questions?" The prodigy asked.

"When he is unable to battle it out, Shiro sleeps off his rage. You may ask me those questions, if you wish."

"I see. Then starting off with what has risen to the forefront of my mind: why do you refer to that hollow as 'Shiro'?"

"Ichigo gave us the names 'Ossan' and 'Shiro'. We cherish them greatly, despite critiquing him for his lack of creativity, and much prefer to be called such."

"You share a strong relationship with your wielder."

"Most Shinigami forget, in their long lives, that zanpakuto are forged from their very souls. The more powerful relationship between Shinigami and zanpakuto, the more powerful both become."

"And how did you learn this?"

"Ichibei Hyosube and Nimaiya Oetsu, captains of the Zero Squad."

"What else did you learn? That you can tell me, that is."

"I can tell you much, but as for what is relevant to you, I say this: you are correct in that your young body prevents you from using the full power of your Bankai, but there is much about your Bankai that you believe that is incorrect."

"Based on your phrasing, I am left to presume you will not give me a straight answer?"

"Learning the truth on your own will benefit you the most. What held you back previously were your assumptions. Now that you know to question them, your growth will continue where you previously plateaued."

"I see. Thank you for your assistance," An uncomfortable look formed upon the ice-wielder's face. "Ossan-san." Luckily for the boy, the spirit remained silent, his cloak flapping in the nonexistent wind as he gazed upon the bloodbath below. A limb flew up and flopped onto the ground a little ways away from the trio. Both Nemu and Kurotsuchi looked at the hand for a moment before returning to their business. The two white haired captains blinked in shock.

"Shunsui, correct me if I'm wrong, but that is Unohana's hand, is it not?" Ukitake asked.

"Indeed it is. Those two must really be enjoying themselves." A hail of arrows pelted a nearby cliff to rubble. "Mr. Ossan, how long should this last, if you don't mind my asking?"

"If uninterrupted, they could go on for days. Worry not, Shiro and I can stop them without fear of injury whenever we wish. We have already decided to cut their spar short in time for them to be proper for dinner. Would any of you like to join them?"

"I don't mind. Juushiro?"

"I'm sure my appetite will return by then. What of you, Hitsugaya-taicho?"

"I have a feeling it would be an enlightening experience. Count me in."


	6. The Night

**Hi! Sorry this took longer than I wanted it to, writing the end of this chapter was difficult for reasons you'll soon understand. Thank you all for the support, I plan to upload a new chap every week, preferably Friday afternoons. See ya!**

* * *

Sparks flew in the air as Shiro's and Unohana's blades clashed. Ossan's shorter sword speared towards the First Kenpachi's stomach, only to be bat away with her bare hand. Blood dripped from her fingers for but a moment at her action before she curled her hand into a fist and broke my nose again. I didn't even flinch, lunging forward to headbutt her. The blow connected, blood dripped down our faces for an instant, and she stumbled back from my hollowfied strength. Minazuki was screaming through the air towards me before she even steadied her stance. With a well-placed strike from Shiro's blade, and Unohana's sword arm was removed at the elbow again. Ignoring the pain, she spun on her heel, her left foot crashing into the side of my head. My right foot slammed into the dirt as I turned backwards, slicing horizontally just as she dropped to the ground to rip her old hand from the hilt of her sword. My weapon passed harmlessly over her form as she rolled under the blow. She came up kneeling with her sword snapping out to cut through my ankle. I swung that leg out, blood splattering into her eyes to blind her. I dived at her, unable to properly stand when my foot was a quickly healing stump. I was caught by Shiro, and held under his right arm. Ossan was next to Unohana, holding her sword arm. I blinked.

"Guess we're done. We can pick this up later, Unohana." The woman in question switched her gaze between my zanpakuto spirits and I, utterly confused.

"…Alright." She responded. Ossan promptly let go of her hand, and watched as she sealed her Bankai. As she sheathed her sword, I sealed my own blade, my transformation ending. Shiro helped me slide our sealed blade back into the sheath that Senjumaru made. It was a special one that transformed with my zanpakuto, so I could sheathe my blade in any state. The medic before us was staring in confusion.

"Shiro and I carry each other sometimes. You'll get used to it."

"If you don't mind, why?" Shiro shrugged for me.

"We kinda just do. Sometimes, like now, he'll cut one of my fights short by catching me under his arm and just keeping me there. Other times, I'll throw him over my shoulder so he doesn't get into a fight, or he'll just jump on my back."

"From the way you're speaking, he is manifested often." We both nodded. "Isn't that draining on your reiatsu storage?"

" **Nah, not really. We got a lotta reiatsu. We nev'r tested the limit, but I think our record's, like, a week straight.** "

"Something like that, yeah." I agreed. The First Kenpachi attempted to straighten her clothes, only to realize that they were shredded and soaked in blood. She was still modest, but Yamamoto was gonna be pissed as shit over the condition her captain's coat was in.

"Oh, dear. I'm going to have to change." She mumbled to herself. Kyoraku, Ukitake, and surprisingly Toshiro came up next to Old Man.

"Indeed you will, we have dinner plans!" The flowery captain announced.

"Is that why you stopped our fight?" The raven haired medic asked.

"You three are joining, I assume?" I questioned.

"Yes to both." Ukitake confirmed, a bright smile on his face. "By the way, how was your fight?"

"Oh, it was wonderful. Ichigo was not exaggerating in saying that he was the best fight I've ever had."

"Yes," Kyoraku chuckled, "Him proving his claims correct seems to be a running theme today!"

"I see we have much to chat about. Shall we discuss it at dinner?" Toshiro cut in.

"Of course, let Ichigo and I change, and we will be right with you."

"Actually, my clothes were specially made to regenerate." Everyone turned to look at me, and the level of disbelief was so intense, I could feel a couple small cuts in my shihakusho close up.

"Ichigo, your clothes are soaked in blood. And anyway, you're missing your left sandal." At Unohana's jab, both Zangetsu and I looked down at my hanging feet.

"Fukkin-"

" **Clown!** " Readjusting his grip on me, Shiro jumped back up the cliff, shouting. " **Give King his shoe back!** " I heard laughter from the captains we were leaving behind.

After reclaiming my sandal, and vaporizing all of the severed limbs Kurotsuchi collected, we returned to Unohana's home to get changed. Shiro and I had both forgotten that people were supposed to be uncomfortable around blood, but luckily Ossan hadn't. He persuaded us to borrow a couple uniforms from Kyoraku while Unohana turned in our clothes to the Gotei 13's preferred dry cleaning service, and I was currently in her bathroom drawing a bath. She had taken one look at my chest, covered in heaping amounts of dried blood, remembered I hadn't bathed since before Rukia's execution, and politely ordered me to clean myself. A towel was wrapped around my waist as I gathered the shampoo and body wash we had gotten for me earlier today. Zangetsu, as manifestations, couldn't get dirty unless they or I wanted to, so they chose to sit in the First Kenpachi's office to continue planning. I heard the door open, and continued watching the tub fill with water.

Ten years ago, I would have nearly passed out as I stammered, blushed, and screamed for the medic to allow me privacy. Then I was at the center of two horrific wars. I was accustomed to not only showering with others, but showering with members of the other sex, members of different species, and in one situation that was unbearably tense, my enemies.

"I see the bath is nearly ready. Ichigo, you wouldn't mind helping me wash up, would you?"

"As long as you do the same for me, not at all."

"Wonderful!" The tub finished filling, so I shut the water off and took off my towel before stepping into the steaming water. I sighed contently as I sat down, and heard a similarly relieved sigh as Unohana slid in to my right. We absorbed the comfortable atmosphere for no longer than a minute before we sat up in unison. I motioned with my hand for her to turn around, and grabbed her shampoo once she did. Washing her hair was a little tedious, but I never minded.

"If it's not too personal, what was your first experience in washing someone else's hair?"

"My sisters." I hummed. "You heard me mention my mother died when I was nine. As it turns out, Isshin Shiba was a terrible single father. Yeah, he'd pay the bills and bring in food, but he couldn't cook worth a damn and he pretty much left it to me to take care us. Up until they were ten, I cooked all the meals, kept them both clean, helped them out with homework, and listened whenever they had a problem. After that, they knew enough to clean and cook for themselves, though Yuzu basically appropriated the kitchen. As much as I hated it, my fights prevented me from being there as much as I wanted, but it helped that I knew they could take care of themselves." I could tell that Unohana was unhappy hearing such information. I finished her hair, and began scrubbing the blood off her back.

"With their parentage in mind," She cautiously began, "Were they involved with the afterlife?"

"I didn't let them. With the shit I went through, I couldn't in my right mind risk them getting hurt or worse."

"I see." I patted her shoulder as a sign that I was done before turning around. Her fingers were scrubbing my hair promptly, massaging my scalp. "From what Shihoin-san told me before she left, you used to blush like a grade-schooler if a woman so much as showed a little extra skin."

I would forever be grateful for Unohana's ability to know exactly when to change the subject.

"Yeah, I liked to say I was just being respectful to women, but in reality, I was suppressing my desires because I feared I'd end up like the perverts at my school. I got used to women's bodies during the Winter War, because I had to use the co-ed showers, and then I finally got laid during the Blood War."

"Oh? And who was it that 'plucked the strawberry'?" The raven haired woman giggled as she moved to wash off the blood. My eyebrow twitched, but I otherwise didn't react to the jab. Hopefully, if word didn't get around that I hated the name 'Strawberry', Rangiku wouldn't eventually nickname me 'Strawberry Sunrise'.

"I'm gonna keep that to myself for now."

"Of all things, it's the inconsequential information you're keeping secret?" She laughed.

"If it's inconsequential, then it doesn't matter if I don't tell you, doesn't it?"

"I thought you were a gentleman! Don't you know it's ungentlemanly to tease a woman?"

"Considering we're currently washing our dried blood off each other after a bout of ruthlessly ripping each other limb from limb, I don't think 'gentlemanly' applies." Another soft laugh from Unohana sounded behind me.

"I see your point. Come, if we remain in here much longer, we'll have to draw another bath to wash off the bloodied water." I smirked in victory and stood up, toweling off as the nurse stepped out behind me. "Oh, Ichigo?" I turned around to look at Unohana, out of the bath and facing me with her only towel atop her head.

"Yeah?" An approving smile grew on her face, and it took me a moment to realize she was pleasantly surprised that I was staring at her fully naked without so much as a blush.

"When my hair is dry, could you assist me in re-doing my hair?"

"Sure. Before you ask, I learned how to braid from a childhood friend of mine, she'd ask me to braid her hair so it would stay out of her eyes when she trained."

"A man of many talents, I see. And bearing natural gifts, as well." She smirked. I blinked in confusion, and she gestured to me. Lost, I looked down, realizing that _my_ only towel was around my shoulders, giving Unohana quite the view.

"I imagine whomever you laid with enjoyed the experience." It took a moment for the sentence to fully settle in my head. When it did, I burst out laughing. At the woman's bewildered expression, I laughed harder and shook my head. My lungs stung a little as I gasped for breath, but I managed to get in control of myself enough to reign in the laughter. My smile stayed, though.

"Something I said?" The First Kenpachi asked with a raised eyebrow. I nodded silently, drying off my hair and grabbing the spare clothes I had gotten from Kyoraku.

"Yeah." I chuckled. I felt her suspicion focus on me as she dried her hair. I had only gotten the hakama on when she announced she was finished with her hair, and I proceeded to help her with her typical front-braid. We finished getting dressed and exited the bathroom, with her giggling about how gentlemanly I was when I asked she exit first. Zangetu's heads snapped up when we entered the living room, before Ossan folded the papers and placed the supplies inside his cloak. Unohana's suspiciously curious gaze locked onto me, and I responded with a serious shake of the head.

"Not yet." The intensity of her gaze tripled, but she relented when I glared back at her. Her expression momentarily turned worried, before she shifted her gaze to the nearby clock. It was nearly time for us to meet with Kyoraku, Ukitake, and Toshiro for dinner. I readjusted my clothes as my nurse grabbed what she needed for the meal, it was weird for me to not have my typical armor on. Zangetsu's sealed blade at my hip soothed me a bit, but I was gonna be a bit uncomfortable until I had my clothes returned.

" **We're gonna need ta head up ta the palace sometime. Get some extra sets o' clothes, eat at Kirio's, maybe watch 'n laugh as Senjumaru gets pissed as she fails at makin' stain-proof clothes.** " I laughed.

"Don't forget pissing Tenjiro off." Shiro grinned, wide and mildly psychotic.

" **I ain't ever gonna forget ta piss off Discount Elvis.** " Unohana's amused giggle reached my ears as she entered the room.

"I don't know who this 'Elvis' is, but any insult to Kirinji-san is one I agree with." I smirked and held out my elbow.

"Oh, Shiro and I have got more, if you're interested in hearing them." Her arm slipped through mine and she matched my grin.

"The restaurant is quite a ways away, I wouldn't mind having that fill the gap."

" **Oh, man, I jus' realized, we got so much shit on Discount Elvis this time! This one time, we fin'ly managed ta convince 'im ta drink wit' us, an' he got so fukkin drunk, he star'ed singin'!** " The pale copy of me cackled. " **Oh, man, he fukkin** _ **sucks**_ **! 'M sure a banshee swallowin' glass would sound bett'r!** " The raven haired medic's laughter rang through the night as we journeyed.

* * *

"Ah, you're here!" Kyoraku cheered upon spotting us. He and Ukitake were sitting at a bench across from the fancy ramen shop we were gonna eat at, though Toshiro was nowhere in sight. It was about 10 minutes before the time we agreed on, so it was fine. "You two sure cleaned up well, considering how much blood you were covered in!" I laughed.

"Most of it was still wet, so it wasn't that hard."

" **Yeah, they only took like 10 minutes.** " Shiro had decided he didn't want to walk at some point, so he was currently hanging off my back. Ossan was standing to my left, opposite Unohana.

"I see." Ukitake had a kind smile on his face. "Will your zanpakuto be eating with us?"

"We will eat if food is offered, but we require no sustenance, so the decision is yours."

"Then you wouldn't mind if I ordered you some ramen?"

"Not at all."

" **Go ahead. You can leave the sake ta me.** "

"Shiro, we have no money, and we don't get free stuff anymore."

" **Ah, ne'ermind then.** "

"Free?" Kyoraku sat up a little straighter. "You got free sake?"

"Free everything, actually. All the fighters got discounts, but since the front-liners were worked so hard, any food or drink was free. Not much else though. None of us would've abused it, but the Central 46 was adamant on not letting us have free stuff that wasn't a necessity."

"Well, at least there were some benefits for you. I don't want to imagine being worked so harshly and still having to pay just to eat. Speaking of paying to eat, Juushiro and I already decided that we would pay for dinner, so you have nothing to worry about."

"Thank you so much, Shunsui, Juushiro." I smiled gratefully in time with Unohana's verbal thanks.

"You are very welcome!" I flinched. It had been so long since the last time I saw Ukitake smile so widely. Luckily, Toshiro came at just the right time for a much needed distraction.

"I apologize for cutting it so close, Matsumoto managed to evade doing paperwork _again_." The prodigy seethed. Shiro snickered.

" **Ya gotta give Tits some praise.** " He laughed. " **She's been successfully skippin' out on work fer ov'r a hundred years straight!** " The icy captain glared daggers at the hollow, which only caused him to laugh harder.

"Let's just go inside, shall we?" Kyoraku interrupted with a chuckle. Toshiro narrowed his eyes at my pale zanpakuto spirit before huffing and collecting himself. It was always hilarious how childish the short captain sometimes was. Yamamoto's students didn't bother waiting, standing up and walking through the open doors of the restaurant. Before we could get separated, Unohana, Toshiro, and I filed in after them. We found a table fit to seat six, at my zanpakuto's insistence that it would be fine. It was in a private room for seated officers and captains, near the back of the eatery. Kyoraku, Ukitake, and Toshiro sat opposite Unohana, myself, and Shiro. Ossan sat at the end of the table, between Shiro and Toshiro.

"There, see? Everything's fine." I smiled, as everyone except for me looked at the menus.

"Yes, yes, I see, Kurosaki-san. If you don't mind me asking though, why aren't you looking at the menu? Do you not like this place?" Ukitke, the ever thoughtful one, asked.

"Oh, I do, but Unohana and I already agreed on the way here that she and I would just share a plate."

" **King ain't gonna be able to down a full meal for a while.** " Shiro mumbled, flipping through the pamphlet. " **Too used to rations. Hey, Lungs, you sure you don' mind buyin' fer us?** "

"I'm sure. Order whatever you please. I rarely spend money, seeing as my lieutenants go above and beyond for me." The silver haired captain soothed. "Kurosaki-san, you are oddly comfortable with both us and yourself. It's rare for those who have seen war to admit what it has done to them so readily." I waved it off.

"Thank Oetsu and Ichibei. They're the ones who helped me understand what zanpakuto truly are and how to master mine." Toshiro's head rose up from his menu.

"Your ability to accept your faults and your mastery over your zanpakuto don't seem like things that correlate." I sighed in response. I guess I was gonna have to go over this explanation a few times. At least that would make it easier to explain.

"What are zanpakuto?" I asked. The child prodigy raised an eyebrow.

"A zanpakuto is a fragment of a Shinigami's soul that separated from them and gained both sentience and power."

"So, a Shinigami's zanpakuto is a piece of themselves."

"At their core, yes."

"Meaning it wouldn't be inaccurate to say that your zanpakuto is yourself."

"I'd say it wouldn't be completely accurate either, but essentially what you said is true."

"And why isn't it completely accurate?"

"There are many reasons, but one of the most noticeable is that a zanpakuto wields powers that Shinigami inherently don't." I blinked.

"Hey, when Yamamoto gets pissed, the temperature rises, right?" Toshiro's eyebrows knitted together in confusion and suspicion.

"What are you getting at?"

"Answer the question." I demanded.

"Yes, when Yamamoto-soutaicho gets angry, the temperature rises."

"Even when his zanpakuto is sealed?"

"Even when his-" Toshiro's eyes widened.

"If you need more evidence, I can use hollow and quincy techniques even when my zanpakuto is completely sealed. If he's feeling particularly dickish, Kyoraku can fuck with games people are playing if he's close and focuses enough. Hell, I've seen ice form around your feet when you catch Rangiku drinking on duty."

"But-"

"Contrary to what most believe, it's not heritage that determines a Shinigami's level of power. It's their connection to their zanpakuto, and the closer they are to accepting themselves." The prodigy's mouth shut as he leaned forward, clearly waiting for me to continue. Silently, Shiro showed his menu to Ukitake, pointing out what he and Ossan wanted. The silver haired captain nodded in acknowledgement before returning his gaze to me. Oh, I just realized everyone except my zanpakuto was staring at me in interest. Might as well keep going.

"Like you just demonstrated, most Shinigami treat their zanpakuto as separate from themselves, but they aren't. A Shinigami's personality and desires directly shape what their zanpakuto and its abilities become. Even the little things, like the release phrase, are subconsciously determined by the Shinigami. My zanpakuto's abilities are centered on my desire to protect those I care about, and focus on destroying anything that means them harm. My release phrase, _Shatter Fate and Tear the Heavens Asunder_ , describes the lengths I would go to keep my friends safe." I explained. "Oetsu Nimaiya and Ichibei Hyosube taught me: I am my blade, and my blade is me. Understand that your zanpakuto is a part of yourself, accept it completely, and you will go farther than any amount of training could take you." Amazed silence filled the room.

"Well spoken, Kurosaki-san." Kyoraku gaped. "I must say, I am disappointed in myself. I don't mind learning from those younger than I, but to miss such obvious things leaves me a little frustrated."

"I can't help but agree." Ukitake breathed.

"From your words, your accepting yourself is how you are able to understand and admit what war has done to you, correct?" The First Kenpachi asked.

"Pretty much." Toshiro held his head in his hands, looking like I just completely shattered his world views. Wait, that's exactly what I just did.

"You said a zanpakuto's personality is shaped through the Shinigami's personality. In what way?" The white haired captain asked. I shrugged, before jabbing a thumb at Zangetsu.

"Not too sure, but if it helps, Shiro was formed based on my instincts, while Ossan was formed based on my desires. In general though, I'm basically an exception, so it's probably best to not look into it that much." There was a knock at the door, before a waitress cautiously peeked her head in.

"Are you ready to order?"

"Yes." Kyoraku was looking like he was in desperate need for a drink. The waitress quickly entered with a notepad in hand and took our orders. It was kinda funny how obvious it was that she was trying to not pay attention to Shiro. The woman left as quickly as she entered, announcing that our food would be ready shortly.

"Wait," Toshiro began, looking like he just had an epiphany. "Your zanpakuto explained to me that I needed to reevaluate what I knew about my Bankai. Does that mean my body is ready for my Bankai, but I'm holding myself back because I believe it's not?" I blinked, before turning to Ossan, because there was no way Shiro would give such vague advice.

"The fuck did you tell him?"

"I explained to him that some of what he believed to be fact in regards to his Bankai was incorrect." The Quincy spirit defended.

"Old Man, I get the whole self-discovery intent, but we don't have the time for him to double-check everything about his Bankai." I sighed in exasperation before turning to the confused prodigy. "Toshiro, your body is too young to handle your Bankai. That's just a fact. With that out of the way, run me through what you know."

"Daiguren Hyorinmaru dramatically strengthens my freezing abilities, grants me access to techniques I cannot use in my Shikai, and, because of my body, has a timer in the form of ice petals." I nodded at his words. "When the three flowers of four petals each completely break apart, I am ejected out of my Bankai."

"Are you sure?" I questioned. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He shut it, and then opened it again.

"The timer isn't how long I have left in my Bankai?"

"Nope."

"Then what is it counting down?"

"If your body is too immature to handle your Bankai as is, and you aren't eventually forced out of it because of that, what's the only option left?" He was silent for a long moment. Long enough for our food to come, but he didn't touch his bowl. Shiro didn't care, though. He dived right in to his meal, which Ukitake noticed with a chuckle.

"The timer is Hyorinmaru preparing to force my body to become mature enough to handle my Bankai?" The prodigy cautiously asked. I pointed at him with my chopsticks.

"Bingo." Call me Ichigo Kurosaki: Shatterer of fate, the heavens, time, and Toshiro Hitsugaya's world views. I smirked as I swallowed a mouthful of ramen. Oblivious to my thoughts, Toshiro was staring open-mouthed into space.

"Well, changing the subject, Kurosaki-san, you mentioned you were a hybrid of many things!" Kyoraku announced. "You're Human, Shinigami, Hollow, Quincy, what else?"

"I'm not a gikongan or mod soul. I'm everything else, though." Ukitake's eyebrows furrowed.

"You're an arrancar?"

"I think. I can use abilities exclusive to arrancar, so I can only assume."

"You're similar to Inoue-chan and Sado-kun?" Kyoraku wondered.

"They started calling themselves 'Fullbringers' at one point. Don't know where they got it, but they told me how Fullbringers are born, and that I could use Fullbringer powers if I wanted to. Never had the time."

"I heard the Soul King is a species in his own right." Unohana jabbed. I took a drink of my sake, and Zangetsu dug into their meals more aggressively. Which, sadly, didn't stop Shiro's leg from bouncing slightly, or Ossan's coat from flaring out more. I refilled my cup as quickly as I could, and felt everyone slowly turn to me.

"…no." Toshiro pleaded. I kept drinking. "No." I pointedly looked away when Unohana swiped my cup. "Goddamn it, Kurosaki." The white haired captain groaned, his head hitting the table.

"It's not like I'm a god or anything…" I scratched the back of my head nervously. "The Soul King kinda died at some point, and Ichibei said I fit the bill to replace him…" I felt more than saw Toshiro's piercing glare. "Well, Yhwach _did_ say a few times that my Bankai was the only thing capable of beating him, and he's the one that killed the Soul King…" As if they were expecting it, the older captains lifted their bowls right before the prodigy's head slammed against the table.

"…you're going to be the cause of so many migraines for me, aren't you…" The icy captain mumbled.

"…Yeah…" I accepted.

"…Kyoraku-taicho, fill me a cup of sake." Ukitake and Unohana laughed as Kyoraku did as asked. I smirked before swallowing my second mouthful of noodles.

* * *

"Have a good night, you two!" Ukitake wished as he and Kyoraku separated from us.

"You two as well!" I mirrored, waving my hand. Toshiro, after drinking a comfortable amount, had left an hour before, claiming that he needed the time to think. We stayed to enjoy each other's company, and were only leaving now because the raven haired medic realized how late it was getting. Kyoraku had an arm around his friend's shoulders for no other reason than because he could, and the silver haired man didn't mind. Shiro was over my shoulder, because he was drunk and drunk Shiro led to fighting if he wasn't carefully watched. The Old Man had retreated into my inner world once the bill was paid, off to either continue planning on his own or to just take in the atmosphere in there. Once again, I was bunking with Unohana.

"Ichigo?" I turned to look at the woman I was walking beside. "You mentioned yesterday that you owned no place to live _yet_. I am curious about that."

"Oh, it's nothing much. After the Winter War, Yamamoto convinced the Central 46 to reward me for my help. I'm pretty sure they only went along with it because it would give me incentive to continue fighting alongside the Soul Society, but they also didn't _really_ want to give me a gift, so they gave me a house in West Rukongai's 1st District. You should've seen their faces when Yoruichi and I destroyed all of the bugs they shoved in there." I chuckled. "I'm sure if I asked for it, Yamamoto would give me the place again."

" **It's funny 'cause King almos' ne'er used it.** " Shiro slurred. " **Was too busy bein' usef'l. Unlike those fagg'ts.** " My nurse giggled behind her hand.

"I see. Did you share it with anyone?" I shrugged.

"Whoever asked, really. Even on the rare occasion I slept in the place, I would let close to anyone crash there if they needed a place to stay."

"Who wouldn't you allow?"

"Anyone who I knew would wake me up by attacking me. Like Zaraki, or my dad, or an arrancar you haven't met yet. I gotta admit, the one time Byakuya stayed the night, I was terrified I would take up to Senbonzakura tearing my bed apart. It probably scared me more when I woke up to him making breakfast."

"And why was that?" The medic laughed.

"It's halfway between how sure I was that he would poison my food, and how he had never cooked a day in his life. Downside to being a noble is that you have servants doing everything for you."

"My, how amusing." I snorted.

"Anything else you're curious about?"

"Only one thing right now: Does your zanpakuto have nicknames for everybody?"

"Almost. He uses the real names for people who have truly earned his respect."

"Oh? And who make up that list?"

"You, Chad, Yoruichi, and a couple of arrancar you haven't met yet. He calls our sisters by their real names, but that's because they're our sisters."

"Quite the small list." I shrugged as we entered the 4th Division.

"He has high standards. What I've noticed is that everyone on the list is someone that pulls their weight, cares for me, and isn't an ass." She raised an eyebrow.

"Shouldn't be too hard, considering you described yourself as one of the most vital fighters. Shouldn't everyone have respected and cared for you?" My eyes hardened as I nodded.

"For the most part, but that doesn't mean most of that respect and care is genuine. Well over half of the Seireitei kissed my ass because my name held so much weight, and if I was healed by anyone other than one of my friends, I supposedly owed them a favor. A lot of nameless Shinigami would attempt to fight alongside the front-liners just to brag about how they fought by my side, or to make up some bullshit about how they saved me." My hand that wasn't holding Shiro clenched. "Some of the more cocky ones would seek out opportunities to 'rescue' me. If they saw an enemy that wasn't in my immediate line of sight, they'd attack. Usually ended with either the Quincy killing them, or me accidentally striking the Shinigami because they got in front of the enemy. Always ended with me pissed off at them because of how stupid they were being in the middle of a war. Fucking attention-whoring dumbasses." Unohana's hand slipped around my fist.

"As sad as it is, people like that exist. In times like these, we cannot afford the luxury of ignoring those with power simply because they're unsaintly." I shut the door to her home behind us, and we both slipped off our shoes as I continued.

"Oh, I accepted that a long time ago. What pisses me off is that the Academy doesn't take the dumbass out of the students. It's there to train Shinigami, not power-hungry assholes who think they can do whatever they want. Every Shinigami I've met that's supposed to watch over the Rukongai strong-arm the citizens for protection money, and demand food and sex under threat of death." A heavy frown fell upon the raven haired woman's face.

"Outside of constant watch, there is little we can do." A cool, soothing wave washed over my body from the Old Man, and I sighed. We both changed into night clothes, Unohana wearing her sheer white nightgown over underwear, me in some sweatpants and a tank-top we bought earlier. It was when I laid down on my futon, Unohana kneeling next to me readying a Kido spell, that I spoke up.

"Like you said, the fodder coming out of the Academy isn't something we can fix yet. As much as it pisses me off, it's low on the list of priorities, but it _is_ something I came here to change." The nurse smiled softly.

"And I don't doubt it, like everything else you came to fix, will be. Right now, however, we're going to fix your terrible sleeping habits." As she placed her hands in front of my face, I snorted and closed my eyes. Just like when Shiniji used it on me all those years ago for my Vizard training, my consciousness faded instantly.

* * *

 _The scent of blood hung heavy in the air. Reiatsu saturated the battlefield so heavily it tingled on my skin, but I paid no attention to it. There was a burst of energy to my right, and Ossan's blade snapped up to split the Heilig Pfeil in two. I was in front of the Quincy that fired it instantly, Shiro's blade tearing across his chest before he could blink. The soldier fell with a bloodied grin, a moment before a light blue pentagon lit up along the ground, with me in the center. A Soldat kneeled before each corner, Seele Schneider stabbed into the ground with Ginto held above each hilt. My eyes widened, and I Sonido'ed as fast as I could towards one of the corners. The trap would break if the formation broke, I just needed to get one! Something crashed into the ground behind me, and I stumbled. Instinctively, I spared a glance towards the crater behind me, only for my eyes to widen in horror. Renji was on his back, his Bankai active and his serrated blade out. The enormous, mask-bearing 'Superstar' was on top of the redhead, his knee in the center of what was clearly a set of broken ribs and his fists flying towards the lieutenant's face. Renji's purple and black arms were all that was keeping his head from caving in. The temptation to rip apart the fanatic with a fucked-up version of heroism was so intense my arms shook, but I had to make the smarter decision. Renji, while not for long, could hold out under the assault. However, he wouldn't be able to survive an over-powered Sprenger._

 _My head snapped towards the closest Soldat, and I shot towards him at my fastest speed in Shikai. Rage filled my body as Shiro and I snarled in unison. His blade sheared through the Quincy, separating the Soldat's upper body from his lower at the bicep. The maniacal grin on the dead man's face didn't leave._

" _Too late." My eyes dropped down to the Reishi blade below me, already glowing brightly as the technique activated._

" _RENJI!" I screamed, dashing towards my friend so fast I felt one of my legs break for a moment. The 'Superstar' was bat away by Shiro's blade, and the Sternritter became a blur that flew across the war zone. I couldn't spare time to be cautious of Renji's injuries, I grabbed his shihakusho and pulled. The redhead barely budged._

" _THE VILLAINS ARE DESTINED TO DIE!" My eyes tracked the body locked around Renji from behind as my Khyber blade speared towards the 'fan's' head. "EVEN IF THE HERO LOSES A LOVED ONE IN THE PROCESS!"_

" _SPRENGER!" The world moved in slow motion. I could see the igniting lines of the trap as they sparked towards where we were. I watched as dread and morbid realization melted onto Renji's face. I saw the air distort around Shiro's blade as it streaked towards the 'Superstar's' sidekick with unmatched speed. My gaze locked onto Renji's and I felt the scream force its way out of my throat as he shut his eyes._

" _Win for us, Ichigo."_

" _RENJI!" Everything turned white, and I felt his shihakusho burn away in my hand._

* * *

" _Kurosaki." A messenger called, kneeling in front of my desk as I did paperwork. I sighed, and didn't even bother to look up._

" _How many times to I have to tell you to just call me Ichigo?" I shook my head. "What is it?"_

" _I have been tasked with informing you that the Quincy, Uryu Ishida, has been killed." Everything stopped for a moment. My hand shook, and the pen within it snapped. A freezing chill settled in my body, like I was completely submerged in a glacier._

"… _What?" My voice cracked, and tears burned my eyes as I looked to the kneeling messenger. He didn't raise his head, or even shift his stance._

" _Uryu Ishida, who was tasked to spy on the Wandenreich almost two years ago, had been found out by the enemy. They killed him upon discovery." Rage simmered under my skin._

" _That's-that's a lie! Uryu is too good to be found out, especially after this long! They couldn't have found out! Don't tell me such-" I shouted, standing up out of my seat._

" _The leader of the enemy army appeared in the Head Captain's office, and delivered Uryu Ishida's head before explaining what I just described to you. This happened mere minutes ago, I was tasked to inform you immediately." I was left unable to do anything other than stare. The fires of my anger were snuffed out by the ice-cold that encapsulated my body. Numbly, I fell into my chair, my lips parted and the world spinning around me._

" _Get out." I mumbled in a daze. The messenger did so without hesitation, barely escaping my reiatsu filling the room and tearing everything apart._

* * *

" _Kurosa-"_

" _Where are they?!" I shouted over the nurse, who visibly recoiled._

" _D-down the hall to your r-right, f-fourth door on the left." I was pushing people aside as I rushed through the crowd of people, a depressingly familiar sob reaching my ears._

" _Outta my way!" People began to part faster, enough for me to jog to the room and rip the door open. The sound of the crying muted everything else. I prayed that was why I couldn't hear the heart monitor. Deep down, I knew it wasn't. I stumbled towards the large bed, with the orange dome covering it before falling to my knees next to the only chair in the room. Orihime turned to me sharply, her face ugly with tears. She crashed into me, the chair skidding away and tipping over, but neither of us cared. Her arms were tight around my shoulders, and her face was buried into my chest, her sobbing soaking my clothes. Her screams of despair filled the sickeningly quiet room. Numbly, my arms raised to hug her back._

 _I had seen what happened, and I eviscerated everything on the battlefield to give us the opening we needed to take him to the 4_ _th_ _. Unohana took him, healing him as best she could the whole trip, from what I heard. A trail of blood followed behind the medic, a mix of both his and whoever was unfortunate enough to stand in her way. When the Soldats stopped coming, Zaraki couldn't even praise my display from how dazed he was. I vaguely recalled the man's voice screaming across the war zone for alcohol. Most everything was blurry from when he was hit until I reached the 4_ _th_ _, including most of what I did to get here. Orihime clearly tried everything she could, and everything only fully set in when her healing barrier dropped. My eyes locked onto the heart monitor, which displayed a horizontal line. I reached out with my reiatsu sense, and got nothing. Pesquisa, nothing. Sight, no rising of the chest. I trembled in Orihime's hold as I clutched onto her, before joining her in screaming and crying._

 _Chad was gone._

* * *

 _I stood up dazedly, Yoruichi's body held in my arms. My mind was blank. My body was numb. I saw a Shinigami staring at me, and carefully placed her within his grasp._

" _Take her to my home. I'm burying her myself." My voice was monotonous, and the Shinigami gaped at me for a moment before nodding shakily. As soon as he took off, I turned to face the Quincies before me. I knew, somewhere deep in my mind, that there was a collection of Sternritter among the horde. I couldn't decipher who, or how many. Subconsciously, I was aware there were other Shinigami here. My mind wasn't acknowledging any of that. There was an explosion of reiatsu as I wordlessly slipped into Shikai. Huh. I didn't recall drawing Zangetsu. Didn't matter. I was vaguely aware that someone was talking to me. There was no effort to decipher it past realizing it was the voice of a Quincy. Could it have been the Old Man? No, I could tell he was just as mind-numbingly pissed. I dimly acknowledged Shiro taking control of my mouth and letting loose something nasty in response. The Quincy were coming closer. Wait. No. They were standing still. I was the one moving. One of the Quincies fired off an arrow, and the shattering of the projectile on my skin pulled me from my daze._

"You killed Yoruichi _." I seethed. My reiatsu stormed around me, disintegrating everything nearby._

" _Well, yeah, but I can zombify her if you want." My glare locked onto the woman who just spoke, utter hatred filling my body. "She looks so delicious, I wouldn't mind having her around to taste whenever."_

"You killed Yoruichi. _" I repeated, more of a growl than actual speech._

 _This wasn't a battlefield anymore._

"You're all going to pay. _"_

 _This was a cemetery._

* * *

"Ichigo! _" I heard Rukia's voice scream, and I carved across the battlefield towards the voice. Blood was flying everywhere, structures were being destroyed. I saw a Sternritter tumble across the sky, Zaraki rocketing after them like a bloodhound. I grabbed a few fodder Shingami by the back of their shihakushos and threw them out of the way of a rain of arrows. A torrent of fire torched a collection of Soldats, and I caught a glimpse of Goatface lunging after the 'Flame'._

"Ichigo! _" Orihime's voice cut across the warzone. My cero blasted apart a path of Soldats, and Ossan's blade snapped out to bifurcate the 'Overkill' at the waist. That was the eighth time he's died. Thanks in no small part to the elusive 'Zombie', the wave of Quincies was nearly endless. If there was a body to recover, she would make it come back to keep fighting, and the opportunity to destroy a Sternritter's body was rare at best. There were Soldats whose jobs were entirely to keep us from getting that chance, after all._

" **King!** _" Shiro? I couldn't spare a moment to search the battlefield for my zanpakuto spirit, but I didn't despair. He could take care of himself, and on the off-chance he was gravely injured, he could return to my inner world whenever he wished and come back fine. I jumped in the path of a Quincy spear, saving Ikkaku. The spear-wielder gave a nod in response before continuing with his fight. A Getsuga Juujisho annihilated a horde of enemy reinforcements. "_ **Snap out of it!** _"_

 _Snap out of it? I searched the battlefield. My eyes furrowed. The only Sternritter who could create illusions was the 'Fear', and I didn't see him or anything I normally associated with his ability. Maybe a mind thing, from the 'Love'? No, I didn't spot any half-naked overweight jackasses, and I didn't feel any sudden urge to kill people for the sake of appeasing someone else._

" **You're dreamin', King! Wake up!** _"_

* * *

I was pulled out of the nightmare instantly. Someone was grabbing me, and I socked them in the face. There was a shout, the person recoiled, and I followed. I tackled them, straddled them and grabbed the arm of the fist that was flying at me. The other hand was sent out, and I grabbed it just as quickly. Switching both of the attacker's wrists to one hand, I slammed their arms above their head and headbutt them to calm their struggling. They bucked their hips, and I was brought off-balance by the unexpected display of strength. Before I could force my hips down to lock them in place, a set of arms came up from behind me and grabbed me in a full nelson. I shot to my feet and backpedaled into a wall, stunning the person enough for me to reach up, grab their clothes, and throw them over my head and onto the other attacker. I rushed forward, and the person I threw tackled me. I hit the ground, and swung at the intruder. The other one grabbed my arm and held it down, so I brought up my other fist.

" **King!** " I gasped, and saw white. Shiro was on top of me, his arms tight around my torso and worry in his eyes. Unohana was breathing heavily, pinning my arm down with her body and blood trailing down her temple. My eyes widened, and Shiro got up. I attempted to slide back, only for the medic to reach forward and pull me into a hug.

"It's alright. Everyone is alive, safe and sound. Whatever you saw is not going to happen again. You're not going to let it, right?" I choked on my words, but nodded. My tears burned my cheeks, and I leaned into the embrace as I tried to get a hold of my breathing.


	7. The Espada

**Sorry for being late, again. Nerofest is a bitch. In other news, Brave Souls is finally getting a dupe system, and it's gonna make whaling OP. Thanks KLab.**

* * *

At the sound of knocking, I opened the front door, and a deep glare settled on my face. I cut off the well-dressed man right as he opened his mouth.

"Fuck off. If you want to _actually_ get to know me, ditch the bribe." The couple looked appalled.

"Bribery? What do you take us for, criminals? We simply heard of the new addition to the Soul Society, and wanted to introduce ourselves." The woman lied. "We learned you were under Unohana-taicho's care, and so we thought of bringing a gift."

"Like hell, that bottle you're holding is worth more than a normal lieutenant makes in a decade. I'm in a bad mood, so make your decision before I throw you out."

"I understand your definition of a gift may be-" I slammed the door in their faces, before retreating for the kitchen to continue waiting for the pot of coffee to finish.

"I didn't realize you were so well acquainted with the wine of the Soul Society." Unohana mentioned from the kitchen table, a cup of tea in her hands.

"I'm friends with Kyoraku, and Byakuya is surprisingly just as disgusted as I am with other nobles. They taught me a lot about the worth of wine and how to decipher the actions of nobles."

"My, how kind of them."

"Yeah, if it weren't for them, I would have gotten roped into a whole load of shit." The coffee finished, so I poured a cup and joined my nurse at the table. Two plates were waiting, a full meal for her and a couple spoonfuls of rice for me.

"Wonderful. So, what is the agenda for today?" The raven haired medic asked. I sipped my drink.

"After we confirm it with Yamamoto, you and I are gonna go to Hueco Mundo and recruit-slash-eliminate the arrancar. We're gonna round up the Espada that are nice and/or willing to side with us, and take out the rest. We don't need to worry about anyone else, arrancar, like hollows, follow whoever is strongest. There will be a few that are loyal enough to Aizen to fight back, but they're not strong enough to do much."

"You understand this will make two days straight where I am unable to do paperwork. It builds to quite immense amounts if left unchecked, especially in the 4th." I waved it off.

"Its fine, when things were slow, I helped out on paperwork for the divisions I frequented. We can start when we get back, or we can bring some for after we finish."

"I will have Isane-chan prepare us some papers to take with us, then." The First Kenpachi rested her tea cup on the table before lifting her finger for a Hell Butterfly to land on. I once asked where Hell Butterflies came from, and how they were always a moment away when someone needed to send a message. I've yet to receive a straight answer. My running theory is that Kurotsuchi made them, and they were so useful that no one wanted to question how he made them. I finished my breakfast just as Unohana finished her message. The butterfly flew away, and we watched it just to preserve the comfortable silence.

"I can only assume the purpose of going to Yamamoto-soutaicho is more a warning of what we're going to do rather than an asking of permission." She accused.

"Yup." I confirmed.

"How are we going to Hueco Mundo, then? We have yet to invent a way to travel there outside of following hollows through Gargantas."

"I'm part hollow, remember? I can make my own Gargantas." My gaze was still out the window, but that doesn't mean I didn't feel hers snap to me. There was a moment of stunned silence from her.

"…why am I surprised?" She whispered.

"You aren't used to me yet. I do a lot of impossible stuff." Sure, her question was rhetorical, but that didn't mean it wasn't in need of an answer. "Ready to go?" It took a couple seconds for her to recover, but that was much faster than anyone else would be able to.

"Y-yes. I asked Isane-chan to meet us at the 1st Division, so we need not wait for her." She explained as she stood. I followed her example and we left her home promptly. The sun was still rising, so it was technically early, but in the Gotei 13, there was always someone out and about. Luckily, it offered Unohana and I a wonderful view as we walked to meet up with Yamamoto. Speaking of which.

"Hey, you don't mind waking up a little earlier than you're currently used to on a regular basis, right?" I asked.

"What for?"

"If we knew there was something big coming up, my friends and I would wake up to watch the sunrise. It's the best in all the worlds, and I was hoping to make a habit of watching it every morning."

"I wouldn't mind at all, so long as I can bring others to enjoy it with us."

"Go ahead!" I encouraged. "The more, the merrier." A familiar presence landed on my shoulders, hands rested atop my head, and my neck was flanked by soft thighs.

"That include me?" Yoruichi asked.

"Of course it does, but you aren't exactly a morning person."

"Well, I can be if I have the right incentive~." My face immediately grew warm, but I persevered.

"Sure, I can bring you some milk."

"I'll only have it if it's yours~." Goddamn it. I just can't keep up with the teasing. Yoruichi's laughter filled my ears. "Oh, you cannot _believe_ how happy it makes me that you still become a strawberry from a little teasing!"

"Shut up…" I pouted, my arms crossed over my chest. The werecat took the opportunity to rest her feet in the bend of my elbows.

"How is it that you've apparently had one _hell_ of a first time, but you still turn cherry when I use a little wordplay?" The goddess of flash asked, genuine curiosity dusting her tone.

"Oh?" Before I could answer, Unohana spoke up. Oh no. "Ichigo merely informed me that he is no longer a virgin. Has he told you more?" Yoruichi guffawed, and I desperately wanted to shove my head into a wall.

"No longer a virgin? Berry-kun here slipped out that his first trip to pound town was a threesome!"

"My, my, how adventurous!"

' **Ya know, this is the perf'ct time to let 'em know who it was with.** '

' _Shut the fuck up._ '

"Right? But sadly, my dearest student doesn't want to let me in on who it was with!" The purple haired beauty leaned down as close as she could to my left ear as she cradled my face. "Don't worry, though, I'm more than happy to let _you_ in whenever you want~." I wasn't sure if it was possible for steam to rush out of my ears, but I was about to find out. Shiro was cackling somewhere in my head.

"M-m-moving on!" She was so close I _felt_ Yoruichi's lips curl into a smirk. "Yoruichi! Since you're already with us, interested in joining Unohana and I for a raid in Hueco Mundo?"

"Sounds fun!" I inwardly sighed in relief that the mocha-skinned goddess permitted the change in topic. "What will we be doing?"

"Aizen had an army of arrancar in his base in Hueco Mundo. We're gonna recruit those we can, and take out everyone else."

"Will we be recruiting anyone I'd like?" The only two arrancars that Shiro referred to by name popped in my head.

"Absolutely."

"Oh, now I'm excited! Are we on our way now?"

"Not quite." Unohana picked up. "We're informing Yamamoto-soutaicho where we are going and what we are doing before actually traveling to Hueco Mundo."

"Gotcha. How are we getting there?"

"Ichigo/Me." Unohana and I answered in sync.

"Say what?" The werecat sat confused on my shoulders.

"I can make Gargantas." I enlightened.

"Oh, because you're part hollow, right?"

"You know, I praised Unohana in my head for coming out of her shock quickly after realizing that. You barely blinked." Yoruichi scoffed.

"Oh, _please_. I've seen you beat Ikkaku, Renji, Kenpachi, and Byakuya consecutively without even sparing the time to heal completely after each fight, earn Bankai two weeks after acquiring Shikai, stop the Sokyoku in Shikai with a massive portion of your power sealed, and _time travel_. Finding out you can open Gargantas hardly break the barrel of most impossible feats you've performed, and that's what I _know_." I burst out laughing, and Yoruichi easily kept her balance while on my shoulders.

"...With everything put out in front of me, you are correct that it should be expected at this point." The raven haired medic relented. "After all, he matched me in my Bankai with just his Shikai, and walked through any Kido spells I sent at him with hardly a scratch." The goddess of flash snapped her fingers.

"That's right! I heard about that from my Little Bee! She was really pissed off that apparently Kido doesn't work on him?" The First Kenpachi nodded.

"Pretty much." I confirmed. "Hado spells under 90 don't even leave a mark on my skin with my Hierro active, and Bakudo spells under 75 break on contact."

"No!" The woman on my shoulders awed. "Seriously?"

"Indeed. In our spar, neither Shakkaho nor Sokatsui could do more than shift a few of his hairs. He cut my Danku in two with a mere sword slash."

"Hold on! That brings up a question that Berry-kun hasn't answered yet: You're basically unstoppable and you've already gotten laid, and you're this affected by my teasing?" I felt the urge to look to the side at the query, but that would've led to me staring straight at Yoruichi's thigh, so I chose to look down instead.

"Yeah, but that's because teasing is different." I mumbled. "I got used to seeing naked women, but having women tease me about it is different."

"And why is that?" Unohana asked, a mischievous glint in her tone.

"Cause women are confusing." I huffed. "They can tease me and be serious about what they're teasing me about, and they can be joking about what they're teasing me about. It's confusing."

"Well, now I'm going to make sure you can't tell if I'm being serious or not." I could hear the smirk in Yoruichi's voice.

"Oh, hey, would you look at that. We're at the 1st Division." I monotoned. Both captain and ex-captain blinked. The goddess of flash spoke first.

"No we're-" I grabbed Unohana and shunpo'ed. Almost instantly, we were directly in front of Yamamoto's office. "Not...Ichi-kun!" I didn't dignify her outcry with a response, instead knocking on the double doors.

"Enter." I held the doors open for my nurse to pass before shutting them behind me. The Head Captain barely glanced up at us before returning to filling out paperwork. "State your business." I waved to Chojiro, who was standing to ancient captain's right with a pot of tea. The lieutenant bowed lightly in return.

"Hey, we came to let you know that Unohana, Yoruichi and I are going to Hueco Mundo." The fire-wielder's hand stilled, before he returned his brush to its ink jar and looked up at us, or more specifically me.

"Excuse me?" His voice rumbled.

"Remember how I mentioned that Aizen had arrancars?" The bearded man nodded. "Well, I was gonna go to Hueco Mundo to sort them out, Unohana was gonna come with me for obvious reasons, and we invited Yoruichi to join. She accepted." The mentor of Kyoraku and Ukitake sighed.

"And how do you plan to enter Hueco Mundo?"

"I can open Gargantas." There was a long moment of silence, where Yamamoto stared at me. I couldn't tell what was most dominant: incredulousness, irritation, exasperation, shock, or tired acceptance. His right eye twitched, which Chojiro took as his cue to refill the captain's cup of tea.

"…Do what you wish." It seems tired acceptance won out, as the old man grabbed the now full cup and took a drink. I smiled, and turned to leave.

'Wait, Ichigo, you have yet to convince Yamamoto to permit your allies into captains meetings.'

' _Oh, I nearly forgot. Thanks, Old Man!_ '

'You are always welcome.' I turned back around, a soft squeak slipping out of Yoruichi.

"One last thing, Yamamoto?" The Head Captain raised his eyes, but didn't pause in his drinking of his tea. "Can my allies join captains meetings if it pertains to them from now on?"

He finished his tea, and held out his cup for Chojiro to fill again.

"Yes, if only to stave off as much in-fighting as possible." Oh, great. It seems he was already starting to understand I would've brought them whether he accepted or not.

"Thanks! We should be back by nightfall, but there's no guarantee!" He waved his free hand in the most 'whatever' way possible. I turned around again, slower for the werecat's sake, before exiting the obnoxiously large room with Unohana at my right. We were greeted by a panting Isane, holding a thick stack of papers and a couple pens. She really needed to stop being so subservient to Unohana. Sure, it was great that she was loyal to her captain, but she'd drop everything if the raven haired medic so much as pricked her finger or asked for a cup of water. The silver haired lieutenant straightened as soon as she saw her captain, before thrusting the papers and pens forward.

"Here is the paperwork you asked for, Unohana-taicho! Just in case you ran out on your trip, I brought five pens!" My nurse politely relieved Isane of the items.

"Thank you, Isane-chan. We don't know when we will return, so don't stay up late waiting for me. If you happen to have a nightmare, you have my permission to go to my room." The taller woman blushed.

"B-b-but Captain-!"

"Now, now, I don't need to repeat myself, do I?"

"N-no! N-not at all! Nope! Thank you, Unohana-taicho, have fun on your trip!" The lieutenant was off like a shot. The three of us stared at the retreating dust cloud in amusement.

"Ichigo, have you had more than two partners?" The 4th Squad captain asked.

"No."

"Would you?" Shiro's laughter returned in full force. I could feel him rolling on the ground in my Inner World, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.

"…Um."

"Well?" Yoruichi asked.

"…I'm not gonna answer that."

"And why not?"

"I'm not answering _that_."

"Aw, come on! You can tell us!"

"Well, yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm going to."

"You're no fun!"

"We're about to go into Hueco Mundo to fight and recruit captain-class arrancar, the hell do you mean 'no fun'?"

"Stop contradicting my point! I'm trying to push you into telling me who you slept with!"

"No!" She blew a raspberry at me, and I rolled my eyes. "You two ready to go?"

"Indeed."

"Yep! Let's kick some arrancar ass!" I stepped forward and thrust my hand out, my fingers disappearing as I ripped open a hole between the worlds. Pure arrancar could snap their fingers or whatever to open a Garganta, but since I wasn't, I had to do it manually. "Oh, spooky!" Yoruichi's playfulness was wonderfully refreshing. Helped drive out the memories of last night. The portal opened wide enough for us all to get through, and I went in first, a luminescent road of reiatsu forming as soon as my foot entered. It shot off into the distance instantly, another habit I had formed from the wars.

"Oh? What's this?" Unohana wondered, looking at the reiatsu we were standing on.

"The inside of a Garganta is an empty void, but that makes it easy to form a platform or road of reiatsu to walk on. As long as the road is there, you can get to your destination, but make sure to stay on it, or you'll never be seen again." I answered.

"Why does it look like a sideways skyscraper?" Yoruichi probed.

"That's a me thing. My Inner World is sideways, and full of skyscrapers, so this comes naturally to me."

"Your Inner World sounds weird."

"You're saying that like it's out of place for me."

"Fine, _you're_ weird."

"Fair." I accepted. "So, while we're on the way, I'll give a quick rundown of what's going to happen. Be serious about this, if we don't do this right, a lot of bad things will happen." I sensed the atmosphere change as the two women listened.

"Alright. Whenever you're ready." The goddess of flash spoke out.

"When we enter Hueco Mundo, we'll be above the Menos Forest, on the sands. I trust you two know what I'm talking about?" I saw Unohana nod, and felt Yoruichi do the same. "Las Noches is a huge white domed palace, it can be seen from anywhere above ground. Unohana, once we catch sight of it, I'll pick you up since you have the slowest Flashstep out of the three of us. We need to be quick about entering, or else they'll notice us and start preparing. Before we manage to enter the building, there's a guardian. His name is Runuganga, and he's an adjuchas made purely of sand. Yoruichi, when he pops up, you need to hit him with your Shunko to crystalize him. I've seen you do it before, so it shouldn't be much trouble."

"Got it."

"Once we're in, follow me. We're gonna B-line straight for the meeting hall, that's where we'll have the potential friendlies gather. I'll pick up some nameless arrancar on the way to be our messenger, so they don't start worrying about an attack. We only really need to care about the Espada, as almost all of the other arrancar will listen to them. Those that don't will be dealt with easily. The potential allies are Espadas 1, 3, 4, and 6. The rest will be eliminated, either because they'll fight back or are just plain untrustful. I'll take on Espadas 2, 5, and 8. You two can have 7, 9, and 10. Before you start complaining, I didn't horde the powerful enemies. Espada 2 can manipulate time, he's nearly impossible to take out if you can't stop him before he can react. 5 I have a bias against, and 8 is the arrancar version of Mayuri. You give him a chance, he _will_ find a way to render your powers null.

"For the ones you two are taking on, 7 is fast, and his power lies in his eyes. In the arrancar version of Bankai, he's got something like a hundred eyes, and if they catch you, they can steal control of your limbs. Yoruichi, I'd say you're the best to take him on, you can move faster than his eyes can track. 9 absorbs the powers of anything he eats, he's what became of the hollow that possessed Kaien Shiba, and can look like him. He will do his best to lower your guard, he's not particularly powerful so it's his best tactic against someone that can actually fight. 10 is the simplest, but not the easiest. He's a literal rage monster; the more pissed off he is, the more power he's got. He's stupid, and slow in more than one way, but he can take a hit just as well as he can dish one out. In his released state, he turns huge, like bigger than buildings huge. If he releases, he ranks up to the 0 Espada, but Aizen ranked his Espada in reiatsu level, not threat level. I don't think he knows that, he'll brag about his status, so it's a good opening. He mostly attacks using his reiatsu, but don't wait for him to exhaust himself, as his reiatsu storage grows as he gets pissed. I'd say the best tactic against him is to let loose, but be wary of his attacks. If you need my help to nuke him down, ask."

"Understood. Shihoin-san, I will take on the Ninth, and will rendezvous with you to combat the Tenth. As you have more destructive abilities than I, I will keep his attention while you focus on injuring him."

"Fine by me. Ichigo, what will you be doing after you beat your set?"

"Unless you need my help with 10, I'll be chatting with the potentially friendly Espada. If you do need me, I'll manifest Zangetsu to keep them occupied and aware we won't attack them if we don't have to."

"Good. Anything else?"

"Uh, once we're done with the Espada, I might go out into the sands to grab a trio of wandering arrancar."

"What for?" The First Kenpachi asked.

"Remember in the captains meeting after Aizen? The former 3rd, Nel?"

"She's wandering the sands?"

"It's because of the 5th. He's sexist, and was pissed off that she had a higher position than he did, so he got help from the 8th and attacked her. She survived, but only by transforming into a child form. Luckily, Nnoitora isn't low enough to kill a kid, so he threw her out into the sands. Her subordinates, called fraccion, joined her to ensure her safety. The first time I entered Hueco Mundo, I encountered and befriended them." We stopped in front of the exit, the white sands a step away. "Ready?" Unohana shifted her stance, and Yoruichi hopped off my shoulders to stand on my left.

"Quite."

"You bet." I slipped my arm across the raven haired medic's shoulders and she mirrored my action.

"Then let's go." I shot off, Yoruichi hot on my trail as we blurred across the sands towards Las Noches. My eyes caught a disturbance in the sand, and I recognized the forms of Nel and her fraccion playing Eternal Tag. I would come back for them later. Familiar reiatsu collected in the sand below us, and pooled in the direction we were going in.

"Yoruichi!" I warned.

" _Shunko!_ " As soon as Runuganga began to form, a pillar of lightning struck him, trapping him inside a cage of almost-glass. Without even breaking our strides, we continued on. The impeccably white wall of the home of the arrancars was quickly closing in, but a low powered cero removed that obstacle. It also removed the following three walls, but that was a happy accident. It hardly quickened our journey, but every instant made a difference. The less time Szayel was given to comprehend what was going on, the less of an advantage he could give himself. Luckily, the under-equipped medical office was directly in the path we were taking towards the Espada meeting hall. Snatching some poor female arrancar in a nurse's outfit was cakewalk. We were inside the white room that was clearly designed to have Aizen above everyone else before the woman could even recognize she had been grabbed. Once we stopped, and I let go, the brown haired arrancar stumbled before falling to her knees. My nurse stepped to the side, and watched along with Yoruichi as I crouched in front of the stunned soon-to-be-messenger.

"Hello." The arrancar's eyes focused on me. "Mind sending a message for me?"

"Um-"

"Great. I need you to get Starrk, Halibel, Ulquiorra, and Grimmjow over here, along with all their fraccion. Tell them it's for a chat." The brunette blinked. "Well? What're you waiting for?" The woman stiffened, before shooting to her feet and bolting out the room. I tracked her reiatsu and was pleased to find she was heading towards Ulquiorra's palace, which was closest. I turned to my allies.

"So, where do we go?" The mocha skinned werecat asked. I spread out my reiatsu sense, and quickly found what I was looking for.

"Yoruichi, the largest reiatsu signature to your 4 o'clock is Zommari, the 7th. Unohana, the 9th, whose name I have never gotten right, is that noticeably smaller signature to Zommari's left. Yammy, the 10th, is that fluctuating signature out in the open area of Las Noches. If you need help with him, rapidly raise and lower your reiatsu twice." Both women nodded, and the three of us shot out of the room in separate directions. Barragan was my first stop, and I drew Zangetsu as I rushed him from behind. The aged Espada didn't get the change to acknowledge my presence before he disintegrated under the most powerful Getsuga I could muster in my sealed state. A couple of his fraccion got caught in the blast, I didn't focus on it. Instead, I continued on my way, Szayel in my sights. As I blitzed towards his lab, I sensed Zommari's and the Ninth's signatures disappear. I also felt Ulquiorra, Halibel, and her fraccion waiting in the meeting hall. Zangetsu manifested and split off to keep them calm, as there was no doubt in my mind that they were already suspicious of what was going on. Refocusing on my objective, I locked onto the scientist's signature and ignored everything in between me and him. Keeping my Hierro running on high, I burst through wall after shifting wall without slowing down. He knew we were here, and was trying to buy himself time to analyze and prepare. I couldn't-wouldn't- give him that. His horde of 'fraccion' (test-subjects) started appearing in the halls. I didn't give them the time of day, ignoring them all as I continued sprinting for my goal.

Some of the fraccion entered my path. I disregarded them all, literally running through them in some cases. Spikes popped out of the wall I was about to run into. They broke against my skin. The floor caved in the next room. I jumped the gap. One particularly large fraccion tried to tackle me, only for me to sock it in the face. It dropped, and I grabbed one of its arms to repurpose the test subject as my battering ram. Sadly, it only survived three walls. I broke through five more walls, and the shifting walls stopped appearing. I blinked, and realized I was in the same room as my target. My eyes narrowed, and I was in his face. He shrieked, only to be cut off by Zangetsu cutting his head horizontally. My reiatsu sense spread out, and felt Yoruichi and Unohana tag-teaming Yammy. He seemed to be in his first released state, from the feel of it.

Nnoitora was closing in on my allies, and I was out of Szayels lab at my fastest speed. My complete Shikai exploded into existence around me, and everything except the 5th Espada blurred. Shiro's blade was sheathed on my back, and my right hand snapped out to wrap around his neck as soon as I was within arm's reach. His grip on his weapon loosened as I dragged him to the side, and bounced on the sands behind us. The lanky Espada's left arm tried to pry my hand off of his neck while his right smashed against my face, but neither affected me. We went through one of the crimson pillars that dotted the main area of Las Noches, but we barely felt it. Perks of having the two strongest Hierros in all the worlds.

"Nice try!" He choked. "But my Hierro-" Ossan's blade lodged itself in between his ribs. The sexist's eye widened, before narrowing in pain as I brought the trench knife deeper. A quick check with my senses confirmed no one was in my intended path, so I flooded the Quincy blade with reiatsu.

"This is for Nel!" I growled. " _Getsuga Tensho!_ " A wave of black erupted from the weapon, engulfing Nnoitora and everything behind him. The torrent of destruction continued until it blew apart the farthest wall of the domed country, displaying the eternal night of the outside. It was mildly satisfying to leave nothing of the disgusting Espada left. I heard a faint ringing of metal, and turned to see the lanky man's weapon flipping through the sand towards me, its momentum steadily decreasing now that I was no longer dragging its owner around. Without hesitation, I caught it, threw it to the ground, and stomped on the flat of the blade to shatter it completely. The rumbling of thunder dragged my attention to see Yammy, in his first release like I thought, get hit across the face by a beam of lightning as wide as his head. Smiling to myself, I turned in the direction of the meeting hall, sensing almost all of the good Espada inside save for Starrk and Lilynette, the latter of whom was dragging the other. I snorted and began on my way, feeling Shiro's irritation at being unable to fight Grimmjow yet. I sealed my sword at around the same time Yammy screamed in blind rage at failing to hit Yoruichi the seventh time.

In no time, I was in front of the meeting hall doors, and I could hear the screaming match between an amused Shiro and the enraged Grimmjow, Apache, and Mila Rose. I decided to enter before one of the arrancar decided to try to spill some blood, and threw the doors open. Everyone snapped to me.

"'Sup."

"You are Kurosaki Ichigo, I presume?" Halibel was the first to speak up, stoic as usual.

"Yup."

"Your spirits informed us that we were called by you to negotiate becoming allies. Yet, you have eliminated nearly every Espada save for those in this room. Your actions contradict themselves." Ulquiorra accused.

"You should know exactly why we're killing the others. Half of them just want to destroy everything, and the other half are self-righteous pricks. Neither of those exactly spell out 'peaceful'."

"Quit it with the bullshit, Shinigami." Grimmjow growled, impatient as ever. "Where's Aizen and his goons? How the fuck did you get here? How do you know about us? Start talkin before I kill ya." I was tempted to roll my eyes, but managed to hold it in.

"Aizen's dead. I took him out myself. I came here through opening a Garganta, and I know about you guys because I'm from the future." There was disbelieving silence for a long moment, and I grew increasingly worried that one of them was gonna try to stab me.

"…So you wield the strength to kill Barragan in a single strike, yet you are insane. I'd much rather deal with Yammy's idiocy than your crazed ramblings." The white skinned Espada monotoned as he moved to leave the room. I tried to hold in the eye roll. Really hard.

"Resurreccion Segunda Etapa." The bat froze. "Tiburon, Pantera, Los Lobos. Should I continue?" Finally, Stark was sitting up and actually giving a shit.

"So you're from the future. Why have you come back?" Halibel asked.

"In three years, there's gonna be a war. In the time I came from, that war destroyed everything. I wish I could say I'm here to prevent that war, but there's no way to. So, I'm here to prepare." Some of the arrancar before me shifted anxiously. "It's not just that, though. All of you became friends of mine, I was hoping to have that again." Stark tilted his head. Grimmjow scoffed.

"Friends? The fuck're you talkin about? You're a Shinigami, we're Hollows. We're supposed to kill each other, not sing cumbaya."

"I don't care about how things are supposed to be." I began. "The Gotei 13 tried to execute one of my friends. So I broke into the Seireitei, kicked a bunch of ass, saved my friend, and proceeded to become friends with half the Soul Society. They changed so much that when I lost my powers, they were ordered by the Head Captain to break one of their most sacred laws to give them back. In my time, Aizen kidnapped one of my friends for his plan. I broke into here, kicked some ass, got my ass kicked, and kicked more ass before rescuing my friend and becoming friends with you all. Also," I focused on my reiatsu, before dragging out the barest amount for them to feel. All of their eyes widened. "I ain't just a Shinigami."

"You have Hollow reiatsu. How?" The bat asked. I pointed to Shiro, who was lounging on a chair.

"He's a hollow, and part of my zanpakuto. Part of me."

"He is part of your weapon, not you."

"My weapon is formed from me. Therefore, it is me."

"…I see."

"Hold on," Mila Rose spoke up, Sun-sun and Apache gesturing for her to shut up on either side of her. "We're supposed to believe that you didn't attack us? Or that we didn't attack you? That we just, what, sat down and talked?"

"Not at all." I corrected, before jabbing my thumb at Grimmjow. "He tried to kill me three times over before he stopped fighting me as soon as he sensed my reiatsu. Ulquiorra killed me twice, and Nnoitora almost did me in as well before he was interrupted. As for you three and Halibel, you watched my third fight with Grimmjow from what you told me, and we formally met when fighting alongside each other on the battlefield. When I met Starrk, I nearly punted him because he had somehow gotten into my room and fell asleep on my bed." Oh, great. I really needed to figure a way to introduce myself that didn't leave the recipient in a state of shock.

" **King, yer from the future, can walk off dyin', and befriended people who've tried ta kill ya multiple times over. It ain't possible to introduce yerself without shockin 'em.** " I sighed in acceptance.

"Yeah, you're right. It's not gonna be easy to get used to, though."

" **Who said it would be?** "

"Good point."

"Waitwaitwaitwait, you _died_?! _Twice?!_ " Lilynette screamed.

"Yeah. The first time, Ulquiorra shoved his arm through my heart. The second time, he cero'ed a hole in my chest wider than my head."

"How are you standing before us, then? From the sound of it, I was thorough in making sure you remained dead."

"Like you, I have high speed regeneration. Only, mine is much stronger. Also, a few of my friends are wonderful healers." And now the pale man was stuck blinking in shock and disbelief. It was always satisfying to break his stoic exterior.

"You mentioned that both times you invaded, it was to save a friend of yours?" Halibel asked slowly.

"Yeah. There's nothing I won't do for those I care about. I've even broke into Hell when a group of sinners captured my sisters." The blonde hummed in approval.

"…we were friends?" Stark was almost inaudible. His face was a storm of emotions, whirling around so fast that I couldn't make anything out.

"We were." I affirmed.

"Did I repay my debt?" The weight behind the question caused my eyes to widen. It was so long ago to me that I forgot. Aizen had only been able to recruit the lonely arrancar by telling him that he'd be around those that could withstand his immense power, and Starrk felt he owed the maniacal bastard because of it. Another memory resurfaced. Halibel only joined Aizen's side because he promised to keep her girls safe. Rage smoldered in my body at his manipulation, but I pushed it down.

"You didn't owe him anything. He told you what you wanted to hear because he wanted pawns to fight and die for him so he wouldn't have to lift a finger. You told me what he told you once. He never said you would have company, or those that cared about you. He said people wouldn't die in your presence, but that doesn't mean they'll interact with you. Be my friend, and you won't have to suffer being alone again. You'll be around people that want to be around you, in a comfortable environment where you don't have to watch out for Lilynette, where you'll never worry about loneliness." The normally sleepy man stared at me in shock, and I could see him giving it some serious thought, so I turned to Halibel. "You told me his promise as well. He never cared about honoring it. He even cut you down himself when he believed you used up your worth. When we met, you asked me what extents I would go to for those I cared about. I'll give you the same answer that I gave then: _Nothing_ will stop me from protecting those I care about. Not war, not fate, not even Heaven and Hell itself can stand in my way."

"You are here because something _did_ stand in your way." She countered.

"I'm here because there's no way I'm lettingit _stay_ in my way." Her eyes gleamed in approval.

"…So if I asked you to keep my girls safe?"

"Then they would be." I spoke the sentence like it was law. Ulquiorra had been staring at us throughout the entire confrontation silently.

"I don't understand. You expect to succeed despite having failed once already?"

"It's because I failed that I'm going to succeed. I know what my enemy can do, I know what they will do. I know how to prepare, I know what tactics did and didn't work. They know none of that. All of their trump cards I already know about, and can prepare for. I know how they plan to invade, when, where. I know they're watching us in the Soul Society, and I'm figuring out how to get around that without raising their suspicions. I know what their goal is, what their method of achieving that goal is, and what parts hinged on chance. They don't know I'm from the future, they don't know that we're preparing, and they won't know we'll be waiting when they come."

"In the time you came from, you learned all of this information. You understood their strategy, their power, their goal, and their secrets. Yet you still lost. Why do you believe knowing such information earlier will result in victory?"

"Because of a few things. Faith, Determination, Desperation, Stubbornness. In short, human emotion. You don't understand the human heart, feelings or irrational thought." I stated.

"I don't." He agreed.

"Stay by me, and you eventually will. Don't forget: Hollow masks are formed from their hearts. You aren't heartless, you simply need help finding it." His eyes widened, and his hand rose to brush against his mask.

"Are you strong?" Grimmjow asked out of nowhere. Starrk was immediately pulled from his thoughts to stare at me expectantly. A memory flashed behind my eyes, of Starrk asking me that very question right before we became friends. I sensed a sharp increase from Yammy's signature, followed immediately by both Yoruichi and Unohana flaring their reiatsu rapidly. Looks like he's gone into his second release, and with perfect timing.

"Why don't I show you?" The 1st Espada was out of his seat before anyone else moved, nodding. Shiro and Ossan returned to my Inner World as I left the room, the flock of arrancar behind me. We exited the maze of halls quickly, entering the desert that essentially served as a playground. The gigantic, ogre-like form of Yammy's second release was immediately seen, with arms so massive that his knuckles touched the ground when he was standing straight. I could see lightning bolts dance along his skin occasionally, and I had no doubt that it was the distance and his immense size that made them look like sparks.

"Damn, he got big." Apache breathed behind me.

"A master of stating the obvious, as always." Sun-sun teased.

"Shut up, Sun-sun! He's almost as tall as the dome, of course I'm gonna mention how insane that is!" Zangetsu was slowly pulled from my sheath, and held in front of me. I inhaled.

"Yoruichi, Unohana! Get back!" The sparks stopped appearing, and I caught Yoruichi blitzing towards me with an arm across Unohana's shoulders. The werecat's Raijin Senkei was alive behind her back, bright and powerful. "You might wanna stand back." I warned the arrancar. Most of them did as recommended, but Grimmjow was a stubborn idiot.

" _Shatter Fate and Tear the Heavens Asunder, Zangetsu._ " The explosion of reiatsu slammed into the blue-haired cat so violently that he was lifted off the ground and tossed back a few meters. Shiro cackled in the back of my head. I focused more on the disbelief and amazement that spawned from the arrancar at seeing my Shikai.

"You really _are_ part Hollow…" Mila Rose mumbled. Sun-sun was probably too stunned to tease the lioness. I watched Yoruichi, and caught the relief on her face at seeing the arrancar behind me and not attacking. She slid to a halt to my right, her hand out to slap against my arm.

"Switch." That was all I needed to dart forward, Yammy barely having managed to turn around completely.

' **Could we-** '

' _No. There is a very major difference between proving my strength and excessive overkill._ '

' **But it's been so long!** ' The hollow whined.

' _I'll convince Yamamoto to spar with me in Muken when we get back. He needs to shake the rust off anyway._ '

' **Fine…** ' I came up on the giant, Shiro's blade behind me with reiatsu shrouding the weapon. Yammy immediately raised a fist, a bala as wide as a parking lot forming around his hand.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN FIGHT ME, WORM?! YOU'RE TRASH, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE!" Internally, I apologized to Unohana. While I was the best fight she's ever had, I couldn't share the sentiment. We could rip each other to pieces without a care in the world, but any reiatsu attacks I used had to be sparingly at best. As incredible as her healing factor was, especially in her Bankai, I knew from experience no amount of healing could keep up with the onslaught that I could dish out. The number of people what I could truly go all out on could be counted on one hand, and even then you could take off a finger or two.

" _Getsuga Tensho!_ " I brought Shiro's blade forward in an underhand swing, engulfing all of the giant's upper torso in black reiatsu. The force was enough to get the rage monster to stumble back, and for his bala to dissipate.

"YOU READY, YOU PIECE OF SHIT?! I'VE GOT A FUCKLOAD OF STRESS TO LET LOOSE AND YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE HERE THAT CAN TAKE IT, SO GET READY TO HURT!" I screamed.

"YOU MOTHERFUCKER, I'LL KILL YOU!" He opened his mouth, and a sphere of reiatsu as massive as a single-story building formed in his maw. It was black, signifying a Cero Oscuras.

"TRY YOUR BEST, I GUARANTEE YOU WON'T SUCCEED!" I challenged as a crimson orb of destruction manifested at the tip of my horn. Both beams of destruction fired at once, and clashed for no longer than instant before mine overtook his. His face disappeared behind the torrent, which continued until it blew a hole in the ceiling miles above. Once again, the giant stumbled back, his face smoking and bleeding in a couple places. I swung Ossan's blade, firing out a swath of arrows, all of which speared straight through his body. They were tiny compared to him, though, so it didn't do much. The next swing did, however.

" _Licht Regen!_ " A tsunami of arrows flooded out from the tip of my Quincy blade, pelting him endlessly. It was akin to death of a thousand cuts. There was an infuriated bellow, and red fired down on me. I canceled the Quincy technique and blocked the blast with Shiro's blade. Being my Hollow blade, the cero was absorbed. I howled as I swung my the white sword horizontally, a hurricane of black and red roaring out of it, before I brought Ossan's blade down, streaking with black and blue as the two strikes fused.

" _Getsuga Juujisho!_ " The attack exploded against Yammy's body, nuking the area and widening the hole in the ceiling. The wind whipped at me, but I paid it no mind. Shiro was whooping in my head, and I could feel satisfaction coming from Old Man. My own relief at being able to just blow something apart with everything I had brought a smile to my face. I heard my punching bag scream in rage, and that smile grew. His reiatsu skyrocketed, and the wind exploded out, revealing him in a new form. He was even larger than before, tall enough to have his head rise above the Las Noches dome, even. His skin was red, with draconic purple scales covering parts of his body. Four humungous spikes branched out from his back, and a massive tail swung behind him. Crimson cracks spread throughout his body, and his head, hands, and tail were wreathed in black and red fire. A single black horn erupted from his forehead, and massive claws as wide as streets tipped his fingers.

"ICHIGO!" A nervous Yoruichi called.

"IT'S FINE!" I soothed. I quickly sheathed Ossan's blade and grasped my horn, making sure to break skin along its sharp edge. Swiping the blood off my palm as the wound healed, I drew my Quincy blade again and charged another cero, this one a swirl of black and red. I sensed Halibel and Starrk grab the werecat and the First Kenpachi as soon as they recognized my attack.

" _Gran Rey Cero!_ " Yammy hastily fired his own cero, it barely able to extend past his face before he was swallowed by the tidal wave of reiatsu. There was a deafening boom, and I saw his talons lift off the ground as he was launched by the attack. I whooped in excitement and dashed forward with a fully charged Getsuga burning along Shiro's blade. I let it loose when I was at his left side, and he tumbled to the ground, causing an earthquake that shook the entirety of Las Noches. He swiped an arm out, only for me to shift my feet and swing Ossan's blade with all the strength I had. There was another explosion of wind as I bat his arm back in the direction it came from. Before he could recover, I brought each of my blades over my shoulders, before slashing in an X.

" _Getsuga Juujisho!_ " He was sent tumbling again, crushing a few buildings from his weight alone. The giant roared in blind rage, and punched out a bala the size of a football stadium. Shiro's blade flicked out, my own bala flying out of it and blowing his apart. It seemed he _was_ capable of combative thought, since the bala was just a distraction as he charged his cero, already as enormous as the released Sokyoku.

" _CERO OSCURAS!_ " he screamed.

" _Gran Rey Cero!_ " With him having survived everything up to this point with minimal injury, I allowed myself to stop testing the waters. The beam of black and red that erupted from my horn meant disintegration for anyone weaker than the Head Captain. There was no contest at all between my and Yammy's blasts, his being swallowed so violently that my attack actually absorbed his. Hitting the giant didn't even slow it down, annihilating at least half of Las Noches instantly. Luckily I had checked beforehand, and Nel and her fraccion were on the other side of the city of the arrancar, away from all the destruction. Though they certainly felt the earthquakes and ludicrous amounts of reiatsu thrown around. I'm sure even Ashido was freaking out somewhere in a cave. That reminds me, I need to find him at some point. He deserves a break. Something shifted amongst the smoke that spawned in the wake of my Gran Rey Cero, so I readied myself to keep the party going. To my shock, a humungous, charred corpse fell down, creating light tremors as it dropped. It took far too long for me to understand that was what was left of Yammy. Shiro immediately started cussing up a storm in my Inner World, pissed off at having our punching bag die right when we stopped pulling our punches. Ossan sent waves of soothing sympathy. I groaned.

"Goddamn it."

"Ichi-kun!" It was automatic to sheathe my weapons and open my arms, a moment before a brown, black, and purple form slammed into me. "You okay? If you need a rest, just let me know! That was a lot of reiatsu you just threw out, you know!"

"Indeed. Are you feeling any exhaustion?" Unohana asked as she came up, the Espada trailing behind her.

"No." I grumbled. "He dropped right as I stopped holding back." Everyone within hearing range froze.

"That last cero was without you restraining yourself?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Yeah."

"Bullshit." Yoruichi blinked.

"I said that Yamamoto was the only one that I would need to use Bankai against. I never said that was because I couldn't hit hard enough." The goddess of flash opened her mouth, presumably to argue against that, ended up not making a sound.

"All the threats are taken care of, correct?" The raven haried medic asked.

"Yup." She pulled out a stack of paper from her coat, and handed me half before pulling out a pen and dropping it on the stack in my hand.

"Then we can get started." I sighed, but nodded as I picked up the writing utensil and got started as we began walking to the meeting hall.


	8. The Desert, and Those Lost Within

**I'm late again. I swear I won't make this a habit. My only excuse is that I was in a different city last weekend and my laptop doesn't currently have any writing programs installed. Btw, I received some comments and PM's asking about my mobile gaming habits, I play both Bleach: Brave Souls and Fate/Grand Order. If any of you are interested in joining either friends list, leave a comment and I'll put out my friend codes in the beginning of the next chapter. Onto the show!**

* * *

Filling out paperwork, as always, was tedious. Mostly because all official documents had to be copied three times over, there were no copy machines, and all of the papers were official documents. Unohana and I were currently sitting across from each other at the table in the meeting hall, diligently completing work while ignoring the smoking mess I had turned Aizen's throne into. Old Man was sitting at the far end of the table, cradling his head as he worked on The Plan. Dozens of papers were spread out in front of him, along with a few pens, slips of paper that represented allies and enemies, an official map of the Soul Society, and a hand-drawn map of the Schatten Bereich. Shiro was behind my chair, sitting cross-legged with his back to my seat and playing card games with Yoruichi, Lilynette, and Halibel's fraccion. Initially, it was pretty shocking how great the hollow was with kids, but then I had understood that since he was me, he had inherited my skill in caring for Karin and Yuzu. Starrk was knocked out a couple seats to my right, having been completely uninterested in doing paperwork with my nurse and I. Halibel was, though. She was sitting to Unohana's left, nodding along as the medic informed her the purpose of each paper and the best method to filling them out. Grimmjow was gone, probably off to punch something, and Ulquiorra was reading in the library.

" **Yer close Kid, but that's a 9, not a 6. See that line on the bottom, there? That means it's a 9. If it were on the top, that would be a 6.** " Shiro corrected something the green haired arrancar did.

"Huh? Wait, has that always been there?" she asked.

"Of cou-"

" **Shut it, Snake. No teasin'. We're 'ere ta play, not piss pe'ple off. That starts fights. As fer yer questi'n, Kid, yeah, it's always been there, it's just easy ta miss.** "

"Dammit. Wait, what about this?"

" **Yea, that works.** "

"Hah!"

"I can do _this_ , right?" Mila Rose asked.

" **Yeah.** "

"I think I'm getting the hang of this. It's pretty easy."

" **Yeah, I picked out a simple one fer ya. Games 're fer having fun, and makin' people happy. One of our friends, Pineapple, taught me that. I like simple ones like these, cause ya don't have to take it seriously. Easy to relax.** " I slid my paper to the growing pile of finished work before grabbing from the steadily shrinking pile of empty documents.

"You know somebody named 'Pineapple'?" Apache asked, incredulous.

" **Nah, I just call him that. His hair's done up like a pineapple.** " The deer-like fraccion and her lioness companion snorted.

"Are you talking about Renji?" Yoruichi asked.

" **Yep.** " The werecat laughed.

"Oh! What's Byakuya's nickname?"

" **Prick.** " Everyone participating in the game began laughing.

"What about Starrk?" Lilynette asked.

" **Narco.** "

"I don't get it."

"'Narco' is short for narcolepsy." I answered. "It's the medical term for someone who sleeps a lot." The lime haired arrancar burst out laughing.

"Holy shit! That's fucking great!"

"What about Mistress Halibel? What is your nickname for her?" Sun-sun asked, sounding like she was ready to attack if he gave the wrong answer.

" **Halibel.** "

"Wait, I thought you had a nickname for everyone?" Mila Rose asked, confused.

" **I use the real names of people that deserve it. Halibel is a badass that doesn't deal with bullshit. She's like King, but if he didn't love fighting.** "

"I assure you, Kurosaki-san is nowhere near as generous as Mistress Halibel." The snake-like arrancar spoke.

" **He will let damn near anyone take his bed if they ask for or look like they need it, and almost all of the money he gets is spent on others.** "

"Really?" Yoruichi asked.

" **Yeah, the only crap he buys solely for himself are clothes. Everything else is either shared or for someone else.** "

"…Hey, Ichi-kun-"

"I'm not being paid by the Gotei 13 yet, I have no money."

"That can be fixed." Unohana spoke up.

"Alright, what were you about to ask, Yoruichi?"

"Clothes shopping?"

"As long as it's just for you, Unohana, or I, go ahead."

"Why so limited?" The werecat whined.

"Because you'd drag along Rangiku, and I'd be broke within an hour at the latest."

"We'd be more responsible than that!"

" _ **You**_ **would, for all 'o five minutes, and then she'd grab somethin' sexy and you two would start buyin' everythin'.** "

"Not true!"

"It's happened four times." I drawled. "And you managed to con Byakuya, Ukitake, Omaeda, and me before people stopped letting you two shop alone."

" **I forget, who ended up being their permanent babysitter?** "

"Nel."

" **Oh, yeah, I remember now. Speaking o' which, when are we grabbin' her?** "

"I've got a few more sheets left. I'll let you know when I'm done, you can keep playing until then."

" **Great. Antlers, it's yer turn!** "

"Hey, Unohana, how are things going on your end?" I asked.

"Quite well, I'm nearly done, just as you. I'm overseeing Halibel-san as she fills out a document, she's doing well."

"Only through your advice, Unohana-san. I thank you for informing me of how to do this."

"The thanks is all mine, Halibel-san! Though, I am curious as to why you are interested in learning how to complete paperwork."

"If shinigami and arrancar are to fight alongside each other, they must be comfortable with each other, and that can only be achieved by spending time with one another. I plan to travel to the Soul Society often, and it would be unbecoming of me to not be able to assist my allies."

"My, haven't you slipped into the role of leader easily." The medic praised.

"It's nothing I am not already accustomed to. It is akin to taking care of my girls, only in greater numbers." I smirked, remembering her model rule as Queen of Hueco Mundo. I was done with my papers within minutes, and had a little difficulty getting out of my seat without disturbing Shiro, but managed. As my zanpakuto cleaned up their respective messes, I stretched, hearing and feeling satisfying pops from my back from having been hunched over.

"So, you're gonna go kidnap an arrancar?" Yoruichi asked.

"Kinda. I'm gonna play some tag, have a chat, and fix her mask."

"Fix her mask?"

"She reverted to a child form because Nnoitora cut her mask, which caused her reiatsu to leak out like crazy. Kaido didn't work last time, but Orihime theorized that was because no one who tried could overpower the rate at which her reiatsu left her body. Unlike last time, I know how to use Kaido, so that should no longer be a problem."

"Oh, I get it."

"I'm also gonna find a Shinigami that's been in the Menos Forest for a while."

"Excuse me?" My nurse tilted her head.

"His name is Ashido, he and a group of Shinigami stumbled their way into Hueco Mundo he doesn't remember how long ago and made it their personal mission to kill as many hollows as possible to keep them from entering the World of the Living. He's the only one left, and I'm gonna relieve him of his self-imposed duty."

"I…see."

"Um, as far as I can remember, that's it. Anyone interested in joining?"

"Nah, I think I'll stick with the girls, they seem fun." The goddess of flash waved off.

"As will I, I'm sure you would like some solitude." The First Kenpachi explained. I nodded and turned to leave, Zangetsu returning to my Inner World as I exited the hall. Inhaling and exhaling deeply, I started on my way towards where I sensed Nel's reiatsu signature in a lazy Shunpo. I could feel her running around in a game of Eternal Tag, and I smiled softly as I idly attempted to figure out who was currently 'it'. All four of them were going in circles, so there was a little bit of challenge. The former third seemed to be at the head of the pack, with Bawabawa behind her. 'It' was definitely either Dondochakka or Peshe, as the two seemed to be slapping each other from how their signatures interacted. It was usually those two, and the reason why simultaneously pissed me off royally and cheered me up. They did it because Nel was a masochist, which pissed me off because she shouldn't know that term as a memory-wiped child, but cheered me up since they knew it made her happy. It was difficult picking one emotion, so I just didn't bother.

' _Hey, they freaked out last time when they realized I was a Shinigami. Should I go into Shikai to stave that off?_ '

' **Nah, it would be easier while sealed. They would think you're a hostile if you appeared with reiatsu ripplin' off of ya, and they'd get confused seein' ya in yer transformed state.** '

'Indeed.'

' _Alright. Thanks for the input._ ' I slipped out of Flash-step as I got closer, switching to a content sprint. ' _Let's do this._ '

"OI!" I screamed. "WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!" The three arrancar and single Hollow stopped in their tracks, Nel's face dripping with tears and snot. She quickly wiped herself clean with her sleeve before bounding over to me.

"Oh, we'th juth' playin' Etehnal Tag! It'th Tag, but it'th Etehnal!" Holy shit, I forgot how bad her lisp was. "Wanna join uth, Mithta?"

"Eh, I guess I can for a bit. Who's It?" The child waved for me to lean in, like she was telling a secret. I chuckled, but kneeled down on my left knee to get close. She shuffled closer and cupped her hands over my ear before speaking.

"It'th…" She blurred away, as fast as she could in her child form as she screamed at the top of her lungs. "YOU!" I blinked.

"Eh?"

' **KING, YOU DIPSHIT! SHE DID IT AGAIN!** ' I blinked again, and my gaze shot down to my hip, seeing an empty black sheath. I growled, before shooting to my feet and chasing after the giggling and screaming girl that was holding my sealed zanpakuto. The black hilt was too long and wide for her hands to wrap around, so her fingers were grabbing onto the guard, shaped and colored exactly as the guard on my false Bankai blade. She was holding it over her head, and I was pissed off both because she regularly conned me into Tag by stealing Zangetsu, and because she ran a heavy risk of hurting herself the way she carried it.

"GIMME BACK MY SWORD, GODDAMMIT!" The shock that Peshe and Dondochakka had been in since seeing a Shinigami appear in front of them was gone, and they laughed as they joined in the game.

' **HOW DO YOU ALWAYS LET THIS HAPPEN?!** '

' _DON'T BLAME ME FOR THIS! SHE KEEPS ON FIGURING OUT NEW WAYS TO CON ME, HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW SHE WAS GONNA DO SOMETHING BASIC LIKE THAT?!_ '

' **SHE'S A FUCKING KID! THEY** _ **ONLY**_ **KNOW BASIC SHIT!** '

' _WHAT, AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO KNOW SHE WAS BALLSY ENOUGH AS A KID TO JUST REACH IN AND GRAB A FUCKING SWORD?!_ ' I lunged for the girl, only to eat sand as she side stepped.

' **SHE DID IT WITH OUR FAKE SHIKAI, YOU DUMBASS, OR DID YOU FUCKING FORGET?!** '

' _THAT WAS HANGING OFF OUR BACK BY A SASH, THAT'S EASY TO SNATCH! OUR SEALED SWORD WAS IN A CUSTOM-MADE SHEATH STRAPPED TO MY FUCKING HIP! YOU'VE EITHER GOTTA BE STUPID OR BALLSY TO JACK A SWORD LIKE THAT!_ '

' **SHE'S BOTH AS A KID, AND YOU KNOW IT!** ' My fingers passed over the back of her shirt as she darted to the right, only for Dondochakka to body-slam me because he couldn't slow down.

' _I FORGOT, OKAY?! I KNOW HER BETTER AS AN ADULT!_ '

' **YOU THINK SHE'D BE ANY DIFFERENT AS A KID?!** '

' _AM I SUPPOSED TO THINK OTHERWISE?!_ '

' **KIDS ARE ADULTS THAT ARE IGNORANT TO CONSEQUENCES, YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN WATCHING FOR HER TO GRAB YOUR SWORD!** ' I silently promised to kill Peshe as I slipped on his goo, missing Nel by a few hairs. They were trying to prolong the game as much as possible, and it was pissing me off because I had already told them I was gonna play. ' **Jus' grab our blade.** ' My hollow grumbled.

' _Not gonna be easy._ ' I responded. ' _She's a fucking weasel, and these two aren't helping._ '

' **So Shunpo, or Sonido, or Hirenkyaku. Ya've been runnin' this whole time.** '

' _Yeah, because we made a rule to not use speed techniques during Eternal Tag._ '

'You haven't made such a rule with this Nel.' Old Man reminded.

'… _oh, yeah._ ' I heard Shiro facepalm. I would've rolled my eyes, but he was in the right, so I settled for disappearing in Sonido. I reappeared with my sealed blade back in my sheath and Nel held aloft in my left hand by the back of her rags. I poked her in the nose with my right pointer finger.

"Tag." I droned. Her face melted into a pout as she crossed her arms.

"No fair, you'th uthed the Thonido thing the big arrancahth uthe."

"I did, and I know a way to help you use it, too." And she was happy again, her eyes shining in excitement.

"Really! Mithta, you'th the gweatetht!"

"Yeah, yeah, before that, introductions. My name is Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Nel'th Nel Tu! That'th Pethe, an' that'th Dondothakka, an' that'th Bawabawa!"

"Nice ta meetcha, Mister!"

"My name's Dondochakka, don'cha know!" The worm-like hollow just roared in joy. I nodded.

"Yeah, I know. I'll explain in a sec, let me just fix something really quick." Was my response before I placed a palm on Nel's mask. "It I remember correctly, this is gonna tickle." Was the only warning any of them got before my hand glowed emerald. The child in my grasp blinked in awe and confusion, as her fraccion stared in an uncomfortable combination of excitement and suspicion.

"Ith thith how the big arrancah leawn how ta Thonido?" she squeaked.

"…Yes." She smiled in acceptance before closing her eyes.

"Yer righth, it thickles." Good, that meant Orihime's theory was correct. She could feel the reiatsu filling her body, but it was trickling out before it could do anything. So, time to do it the Ichigo way: _excessive amounts of reiatsu_. Within moments, her entire body was glowing green with the healing spell. Normally, only the area being healed glowed, so either I was 'healing' her entire body, or this is what happens when you basically shove a firehose into a bucket with a hole in it and crank it up to full blast. I closed my eyes to concentrate on her reiatsu, feeling it rapidly increase as the patented Ichigo method of overkill worked its magic. It worked under the theory that there would be so much reiatsu filling the body of the patient, there would be nothing for the energy to do _except_ heal. Didn't always work, I admit. Weaker bodies or those with smaller reiatsu storages couldn't take it, so I reserved it for those lieutenant-class and above.

When Orihime healed Nel, it took about an hour. After no more than two minutes, the green haired child in my hands exploded. I was not prepared. I was hacking violently as I vigorously waved the pink smoke away with my right hand, feeling the significantly larger weight of an adult Nel in my left. Promptly, I jogged out of the cloud over to her fraccion, coughing the whole trip. Once I saw the white sands and black sky, I let go of the woman in my grip and dropped to my knees.

"What the *cough cough* fuck, Nel?" I wheezed. "Why is it *cough* _pink smoke_?"

"How should I know?" I could hear the pout in her voice. "I grew really, really fast, so maybe things explode when they transform?" I hardly blinked when I returned my gaze to her much more womanly form. On my hands and knees, I had a view up what was left of her rags, so I pushed myself to my feet quickly.

"It's a good theory, I'd guess. Every transformation I can immediately think of explodes into existence, so it's got some good backing." She narrowed her eyes at my nonchalance.

"You know, most people would be shocked when something like this happens. It's almost like you were expecting it."

"Yeah, I was about to get to that. See-"

"MISTRESS NELLIEL!" Her fraccion screamed as they threw themselves at her. She quickly dodged out of the way, her face tinted red.

"Don't jump at me when I'm dressed like this! My clothes are barely staying on as is, I don't want to accidentally flash anyone! I'll hug you when I've got some proper clothes on, but not when these are ripping at the seams!" She shouted. I laughed and pulled off my shihakusho.

"You don't need to wait long, then. I'm only wearing this until my actual clothes finish getting cleaned, so I don't mind giving this to you."

"No, no, you keep it. It can get really cold here in Hueco Mundo, you'll need it if you're not accustomed to it like us hollows are."

"Trust me, the cold isn't an issue for me. I'm part hollow." Her eyebrows furrowed, but she tentatively took the offered top and slipped it on. She tied it shut with an extra sash I had on hand. It was tight around her chest, and the sleeves slipped past her hands, but the bottom came up to her mid-thigh, keeping her mostly modest.

"You _are_ explaining that, right?" She asked. I nodded.

"Yeah, I'll talk as we go over to Las Noches."

"We can go inside?"

"Yeah, I kinda took it over. You felt all those tremors earlier, right?"

"No way was that you. Sure, Espadas can obliterate Las Noches, but that's if they actively try, and it would leave most of them pretty tired." She accused. I rolled my eyes.

"I'll explain on the way. Come on, we have a lot of ground to cover and I still have more stuff to do."

* * *

"So let me get this straight," Peshe began as we neared the outer wall of the domed country. "You, Ichigo Kurosaki, are from about 10 years in the future." I nodded. "Where you came from, there were two horrific wars that pretty much occurred consecutively." I nodded again. "Everything went to shit, so you traveled back in time to make sure none of that happens."

"Yep."

"And we became allies during the first war, so you're trying to get that to happen again."

"Well, I just did that, but yeah."

"Am I missing anything?"

"You left out the part where he can probably take on all of the Espada at once and come out unscathed." Nel brought up.

"That was on purpose. Everything else is difficult, but believable. Him being that monstrously powerful just _cannot_ be true." I shrugged at his doubt.

"Anything I can do to prove it to you?"

"…Destroy the moon."

"Pick something else." Nel and I shot down in sync.

"…What about the mountains? Those are really huge, don'cha know!"

"…Um, them _all_ or a few?" I asked.

" _Can_ you destroy them all?" Nel asked.

"If I went Bankai, in one hit. In Shikai, though, it would take some time."

"As doubtful as I am that you're that powerful, I would rather you not destroy a significant portion of Hueco Mundo where many hollows reside."

"Fine by me, some people that can back up my claim are on their way here." The verdette raised an eyebrow.

"And who would those be?"

"The remaining Espada, my nurse, and a werecat."

"You have odd friends. No offense, it's just surprising to see."

"None taken; I get that a lot."

"Oi, Shinigami!" Grimmjow bellowed as he came within hearing range. "The fuck was that reiatsu surge for?"

"You know my name, at least call me 'Kurosaki'!"

"That doesn't answer my question, Shinigami!"

' **Can I** _ **plea-**_ '

' _After we get Ashido. We've probably already spooked him enough._ '

"I was fixing Nel!"

"That makes it sound like something was wrong with me." The arrancar in question pouted.

"Your mask was broken in half, and your reiatsu was pouring out of you like mine was before someone drilled it into me how to control my output. And _that_ was so bad that I gave two different people powers and made half my school spiritually aware."

"It wasn't _that_ bad!"

"You _turned into a kid._ " Red blossomed onto her face as she grumbled to herself with her arms crossed under her bust. I couldn't make out the words. My quickly growing horde of friends and acquaintances stopped in front of me. Yoruichi looked appreciatively at Nel, whistling lowly.

"Boy, Ichi-kun, aren't _you_ fast. Been gone an hour and a half and she's already wearing your clothes!" Nel's blush deepened.

"I didn't have anything else to wear, my previous clothes were ripped to shreds!" She didn't yet realize it, but Nel just made a terrible mistake. I could already tell by the mischievous grin growing across the werecat's face.

"I can only assume Ichi-kun here did that, right~?"

"He did!" It was fascinating watching someone dig their own grave.

"And what did he do, if you don't mind me asking~?"

"He shoved his reiatsu into me, and I exploded!" The goddess of flash's grin was on par with Shinji's.

"And how did that happen~?"

"He grabbed me by the back of my shirt, held me up, and grabbed me!" My eyes widened in horror. Yoruichi would need to stop soon, because Halibel was glaring at me with the intent to kill. At least Unohana seemed to understand what actually happened, because she was smiling behind her hand like the traitor she was.

"What happened before he grabbed you~?" Nel blinked, and bashfully looked away.

"…I grabbed his zanpakuto…" Now Halibel was staring in shock at the former 3rd, while Yoruichi was having the time of her life.

"Was it big~?"

"Yeah, actually. I couldn't wrap my fingers around it."

"So, you're telling me you grabbed his big sword, he grabbed you, ripped your clothes, shoved his reiatsu into you, and you exploded~." Confusion crossed the verdette's face.

"No, my clothes ripped when I-" Her face suddenly turned a whole new shade of red. "H-h-hold on! I-it's not what it sounds like! I stole his blade so I could play a game of Tag with him, and he Sonido'ed to take it back! He held me up in the air so I wouldn't run away again, and then healed me by flooding my body with his reiatsu! I exploded when my body finished healing, and the clothes I was wearing up until that point didn't fit any more!"

"Oh, I knew the whole time, it's just that you were making it _so easy_." The former 3rd's face was red, now for an entirely different reason.

"You knew?! How?!"

"Ichigo informed us that you had been attacked by Nnoitora and reduced to a child due to your leaking reiatsu." Unohana supplied. "He also informed us that he was going to return you to your adult state by outpacing the rate at which your reiatsu escaped you." Nel seemed to be at a loss for words.

"You'll get used to her. Eventually." I pacified. She slowly turned to me.

"Which one?"

"Both. Mostly Yoruichi."

"Hey!" The mocha skinned goddess cried.

"That wasn't an insult, and you know it."

"I know, but I couldn't just say nothing!"

"Yes you could've."

"But that'd be boring!"

"Cut it with the 'boring' crap, this is the most fun you've had in over a hundred years!" My eye twitched.

"Which is exactly why I don't want it to end!"

"When I'm around, things don't get boring, you should already know that!"

"Even exciting things get boring if they stay that way!" She tried.

"Only if the level of excitement stays the same!" I countered.

"Does that mean things only get better from here?"

"Probably!" The ex-captain cheered in joy.

"Is this how you are with everybody?" Starrk asked, his exasperation failing to hide his joy from me.

"Only with her. I'm loud with a couple other friends of mine, but that's more like play-fighting. For most everyone else, I'm pretty quiet."

"Oh, so I'm special~?" The werecat teased.

"Yes." She froze, a stunned smirk stuck on her face. As I had learned over the course of the wars, being blunt and honest stopped her teasing in its tracks. Sadly, that method was situational at best.

"Being friends with you is going to be exhausting, isn't it?" The only natural arrancar I've ever met asked.

"Depends on whether you're gonna stick next to me the whole time or not. I know some guys you'll love to spend all day with, they like relaxing and taking in the moment."

"When can I meet them?"

"I've gotta go grab a Shinigami over in Menos Forest, and then we're going back to the Soul Society. You can join us if you want, but it's like the middle of the night there, so you'll have to wait until morning for introductions."

"Fine by me." The 1st yawned.

"I'd like to journey with you as well." Halibel spoke up.

"Great." I accepted.

"Girls, do you wish to go as well?" The trio took a moment to exchange glances.

"Not yet, Mistress Halibel. This is all a bit sudden for us." Sun-sun spoke for the three of them. I kept my gratitude in my head, as I wasn't sure Unohana's place would've had the room for all the extra guests.

"I shall remain in Hueco Mundo. Someone needs to keep the trash in check until a leader returns." Ulquiorra announced, speaking for the first time throughout the entire conversation. Grimmjow grunted before leaving, obviously disinterested. Shiro cussed in disappointment in my Inner World.

' _It's fine, you'll get your chance._ '

' **We are fightin' Gramps, right?** '

' _Whether he wants to initially or not._ ' I soothed. The hollow huffed in acceptance. I brought my attention back to the arrancar and Shinigami around me.

"Okay, then! Unohana, you're coming with me to talk to Ashido."

"Oh?"

"If a single Shinigami came to tell him he can finally leave, he'd either think he's hallucinating or being tricked by a Hollow. If there's a pair of Shinigami and he can only recognize one, that removes the possibility of a trap and a hallucination from his head."

"How do you figure that?" Peshe asked.

"If Ashido were hallucinating, he'd either see someone he didn't recognize because his mind would think of a random Shinigami that just stumbled upon him, or someone familiar because he'd think they came to save him. If he hallucinated two people, either they'd both be familiar, or both be random. Furthermore, if one were a captain, he'd make the connection that the Gotei 13 found a way to travel to Hueco Mundo and stationed a squad there to keep hollow numbers low. Not that that's what happened, or that I would even allow that to happen, but it's what he would think."

"Why don't you just tell him that you're from the future, and that you came to get him out?" The loincloth-wearing arrancar asked.

"Because he's already mentally unstable and he would definitely think he's lost his mind if we come in saying _that_."

"That's smart, don'cha know!" I cuffed the polka-dotted arrancar across the back of his head.

"The fuck you mean by that, you tiki-mask dumbass?!"

"I'm just complimenting you, don'cha know! Mistress Nelliel, make him stop!"

"You dug your own hole, you can dig yourself out of it." Shiro cackled inside my head at that.

"Ah! Peshe, give me a hand, will ya?!"

"Wha?! But I'm so thin, and fragile! He'll snap me like a twig! Don't worry, I'll provide moral support!" Shiro's cackling erupted into laughter at the blatant abandonment of Dondochakka. The arrancar in question screamed in fear as he tried to protect himself.

"I didn't mean anything by it, I swear!"

"Watch your words next time, and you won't have to convince me of that!"

* * *

Unohana and I stood at the base of the pillar housing Ashido's cave.

"You're sure this will work?" She asked.

"Of course, Ossan came up with it." I assured.

"You have an enviable amount of faith in your zanpakuto."

"They've saved my ass on dozens of occasions, and they only want to protect me. Why wouldn't I have faith in them?" My companion was silent for a moment.

"I wish to have such faith in Minazuki one day. Sadly, I do not share the same relationship with my zanpakuto as you do yours." I snorted.

"I haven't met anyone who does. Even back in my time, no one ever got as comfortable with their zanpakuto as I am except Zaraki, but that's a different situation. Sure, some Shinigami allowed their zanpakuto to manifest, but never as often as I do mine."

"You have the energy to keep your spirits manifested for far longer than the average Shinigami." She tried to play devil's advocate.

"There's a difference between taking your zanpakuto out for a walk and actually hanging out with them like I do. It became as common to see Shiro or Ossan running around the Seireitei as it was to see me, to the point that they actually have their own relationships with Shinigami. Ossan and Chojiro have conversations over tea, and Shiro _somehow_ is best friends with Momo." The raven haired medic's eyebrows furrowed.

"That is…difficult to picture, taking into account you having slain the man she worshiped."

"Yeah, but it's a thing. Hell, he helped her out of her depression."

"Impressive!" My nurse gaped.

"Right?" I sensed Ashido's signature fluctuate as he woke. "Ah, sorry to cut the conversation short, but Ashido just got up."

"I see. Lead the way, then." I quickly hopped up to the cave opening, putting on a curious face as I lifted the tarp hiding the abode from prying eyes.

"Hello?" I called, faking searching for someone. The hollow hunter appeared before me with his sword drawn, his body covered in hollow masks.

"Who are you? How did you find me?" He demanded. I prayed my shocked look was believable. "Where is your shirt?"

"Um, I sensed Shinigami reiatsu a little bit ago. I told the Head Captain and he sent a captain to investigate. I was just showing her the way here."

"You didn't answer my other questions." He growled.

"I'm Ichigo Kurosaki, from the 4th division. And I gave it to somebody that looked cold."

"…Bring the captain up." I turned my head towards the entrance.

"Unohana-taicho! The Shinigami I sensed is here!"

"Unohana-taicho? She's here?" The brunet asked, his blade lowering slightly.

"Indeed I am." The woman answered as she joined us. Shock and disbelief filled Ashido's face as his sword arm fell.

"Wha-how-"

"I believe Ichigo has already explained, has he not?"

"Of course I did, but I think he's been here a while, since I don't recognize him and this place looks pretty set up. From the look of it, he's alone too. Hey, how long have you been here?"

"I-I don't…know. I stopped keeping track what's felt like centuries ago."

"How long have you been alone?"

"Almost the whole time." Unohana hummed mournfully.

"You are not sure if this is real, aren't you?" I hoped the fake surprise on my face was believable, and turned to see the legitimately stunned brunet.

"You are correct." The man breathed softly.

"Is there any way for us to prove this is real?" He shook his head sadly.

"Some of my hallucinations have been frighteningly intricate and realistic. I usually can only tell it's fake when I wake up." The medic frowned.

"Then I am sad to say the only method we can take is to return you to Soul Society and pray you may eventually accept it as reality." Ashido frowned.

"Even if this is real, my role here is important. I can cull the number of hollows escaping Hueco Mundo." I perked up at that.

"Actually, we're in the process of doing just that." Unohana glanced at me in a silent question of 'what are you talking about', so I kept going. "We're working on making a pact with a group of powerful arrancar. It'll be a peace treaty, where we promise to not kill them so long as they reign in the hollows as best they can." I could sense her confusion, having not heard of that until just now.

"That sounds risky." The brunet before us reasoned.

"Did you miss the part where I mentioned we would kill them if they didn't abide by the treaty? You of all people should understand how important survival is to hollows." The man looked uncomfortable, but nodded in acceptance. I smiled widely and waved for him to follow as I turned towards the exit.

"Great! Come on, we're about to leave." Unohana almost immediately was at my side as I jumped down to ground level.

"Are we really going to form such a pact with the Espada?" My nurse frowned.

"Officially." A look of realization quickly formed over her face.

"Was this part of Ossan's plan as well?"

"Yup. We should really warn them of what we're going to do, by the way."

"That would be for the best, yes." With Ashido in tow, it barely took any time at all to return to Las Noches, and I weakly apologized to the disgruntled arrancar that were speeding up the rebuilding process as we passed them. I still didn't know what it was, or how Aizen got a hold of it, but the entirety of Las Noches was made up of a material that rebuilt itself as long as it had reiatsu to feed on. It was perfect in Hueco Mundo, since the air was so thick with spiritual energy that small hollows didn't even need to eat, but sometimes the damage was so great that it needed help to fix itself within a reasonable amount of time. I was the walking definition of that level of damage.

I sensed some fluctuations of reiatsu, and zero'ed in on it to find something entertaining. Nel had somehow convinced Yoruichi, Grimmjow, and Halibel's fraccion to join her in Eternal Tag. Taking a guess, Yoruichi was interested the moment the term 'tag' was mentioned, Grimmjow heard 'game' and became hyper-focused on winning, and Halibel forced her fraccion to join as a form of training. Grimmjow was probably It, considering I could hear his infuriated screams from here as he failed at catching the Goddess of Flash. Luckily, he had a pseudo code of honor, that being 'you're a coward if you abuse the fact that you're more powerful than someone else', so he was ignoring Halibel's fraccion completely. In his mind, it wasn't a victory unless he proved himself faster than the fastest person. Sadly for him, the fastest person was Yoruichi, who absolutely _loved_ to fuck with people.

"GET THE FUCK OVER HERE, YOU FUCKING BITCH!" As we came closer, I began to make out the blue haired man's pulsing veins.

"Why don't _you_ get over _here_ , slowpoke?!" The mocha-skinned woman teased. An incoherent scream of rage erupted from his throat as he lunged forward in Sonido, the ex-captain easily side stepping. Without Shunpo. Nel was on her knees laughing, and Yoruichi's grin grew with every howl of rage from the Espada. The temptation to join them was great, but we sadly had more pressing matters. Like convincing all of the Gotei 13 to _not_ murder arrancars on sight. I cupped my hands over my mouth.

"Yo, we're back!" As expected, Yoruichi was the first to appear before me.

"Thank Kami you're back, it's been so boring without you!" I smirked.

"Don't try that with me. You've been getting off on seeing how angry you can make Grimmjow."

"Getting off? I'm not so sure about that, but I wouldn't mind if you checked~." My face grew hot, but brutal honesty wasn't the only way I had learned to get past her teasing.

"So you _haven't_ been having fun making Grimmjow lose his shit?"

"I never said that." The Espada in question shot at us, and Yoruichi used me as a meat-shield. Not that I really minded. My arm snapped out and caught the panther arrancar around his abdomen.

"Down, boy." I ordered, and I saw a vein on his forehead twitch as he turned to me, snarling.

"I'M NOT A FUCKING DOG, SHINIGAMI!"

"True. To quote my hollow, you're a Pussy." The goddess of flash's breathless laughter was immediate, as was Grimmjow's blood pressure rising through the roof.

"THE FUCK DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!"

"You're a panther hollow, aren't you?"

"THE FUCK DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING?!"

"Well, panthers are cats, and cats are sometimes called pussies. So you're a Pussy." As Grimmjow steadily became angry enough to _actually_ explode, the ex-captain laughing behind me managed to speak.

"I, ha ha, am _so_ stealing tha-ha-hat!" Just like in my time, Shiro's nickname for Grimmjow was so hilarious to her, the thought of teasing me about the reasoning completely passed her by. She collected herself just in time for Grimmjow to stop stewing in his rage and try his best to claw me. At the sight of this, her peals of laughter resumed with double the intensity. It was at this moment, with Grimmjow failing at reaching my face due to my longer arm and Yoruichi on her knees laughing, that Nel and Halibel's fraccion came to see what was going on.

"I _really_ want to know what's got her laughing so hard." The former 3rd eagerly announced.

"You know how my hollow has a nickname for almost everyone?" the women nodded. "He calls Grimmjow 'Pussy' because he's a panther hollow." The reaction was instantaneous. Sun-sun giggled behind her sleeve, Apache and Mila Rose openly roared with laughter, and Nel was held her stomach as tears formed at the corners of her eyes. Best of all, Grimmjow was seething.

"I SWEAR TO THE FUCKING SOUL KING, SHINIGAMI, I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU! AND ALL OF YOU BITCHES TOO IF YOU EVER FUCKING CALL ME THAT!"

"What, 'Pussy'?" Sun-sun, the master of sarcastic teasing, asked. As Grimmjow desperately tried and failed to pry my fingers off of him, the girls laughed even harder. Of course, all of them were aware that Grimmjow wouldn't follow through with his threats, but that was part of the reason why they were laughing so hard. Although he had the power to kill Halibel's fraccion, neither Nel nor Halibel would allow him, and he would rather not acknowledge that people were more powerful than he was whenever possible. As I grinned happily at the sight of the girls laughing, I caught a snippet of conversation between Unohana and Ashido.

"Those arrancar seem quite friendly with Kurosaki-san." The confused hollow-slayer brought up.

"Ichigo is a surprisingly charismatic person." My nurse explained.

"I see. What are we waiting for, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Some of the arrancar are to accompany us in returning to the Seireitei, to discuss the treaty."

"Ah, understood. Thank you for answering my question, Unohana-taicho."

"You are very welcome, Ashido-san." We didn't have to wait long, as Halibel, Starrk, and Lilynette joined us after a few minutes.

"Hey, could you come over here for a second before we get going?" I asked the present arrancar. Without complaint, luckily, they joined me in a small huddle a small distance away from Ashido and Unohana. My nurse was performing the duty of ensuring Ashido didn't catch on to the fact that the 'treaty' was bullshit.

"What is it?" Halibel asked.

"So, a little bit to convince Ashido, and a little bit to keep the Shinigami calm until they get used to you, I am gonna tell the Gotei 13 that we struck a deal with you."

"…Understandable, go on."

"I'm gonna tell them that we are gonna make a treaty where the Shinigami promise to leave you alone so long as you bottleneck the hollows escaping Hueco Mundo."

"And how long will this ruse continue?"

"Until the Gotei 13 isn't looking for an excuse to murder you all." The blonde arrancar sighed, and rested her forehead in her right hand.

"This is going to be annoying, and troublesome, but I will bear with it so long as you promise that they will abide by the 'treaty'."

"If any Shinigami don't, come to me and I'll personally make sure they regret it. Although I have no doubts you could handle it yourself, it would give the more unsavory Shinigami an excuse to doubt you." Another sigh escaped the tanned beauty.

"Seeing as this is the best we can get for now, I will accept it. But know that I will not tolerate disrespect."

"Didn't expect you to. That's all for now, I'm gonna go open a Garganta while you say your goodbyes." I stepped away as Halibel turned to her fraccion. I waved for Unohana and Ashido to come closer as I shoved my hand into the air, ripping open a void between worlds with the brunet watching. The hollow-slayer blinked in shock and disbelief.

"Ichigo's zanpakuto grants him the ability to mimic the powers of hollows and quincies. It's difficult to get accustomed to, but possible." The raven haired medic soothed. "It is how we have managed to form a treaty at all with the arrancar." The stunned Shinigami nodded dazedly. I sensed Halibel, Starrk, Lilynette, and Nel come up behind me as Yoruichi hopped back up onto my shoulders. Years ago, when I had asked her why she loved sitting on my shoulders so much, she had explained quite enthusiastically the many reasons why. Apparently: my shoulders were comfy, my hair was soft, I extruded an aura of safety, she knew I wouldn't allow her to fall, it granted her a great view(I had looked at her suspiciously at that), my body was warm, and it was common knowledge that I never minded my friends being in my personal space. I had begrudgingly accepted all of that, while choosing to not inform her about how my closeness with my friends was more of a coping mechanism than a preference (the closer they were, the more sure I was that I could keep them safe).

"Alright, everybody ready?" I asked, a chorus of confirmations sounding around me. "Then come on, Soul Society's waiting!" Was my answer as we entered the Garganta, the familiar road of a sideways skyscraper stretching out into the abyss.

* * *

 **A/N: Again, sorry for being late. Again. Most of my writing occurs during the weekends, and I normally use the rest of the week to clean up whatever I wrote and figure out my plan for the next couple chaps. I hope it wasn't too obvious, but some parts of this chap I wasn't as interested in writing as others, so it was harder and took longer to jot down. See ya'll in the next chap!**


	9. Confrontations

**Y'know what? I'm not even gonna try for an excuse. I started writing this on Wednesday. It was difficult putting this together because I was the least inspired to make this chapter than any chapter previous, and probably any chapter after. Not to say this chapter is bad, or unneeded, it's just that I was more excited about what comes next. That being because, not including the filler arcs that I'm going to do, I have the next 20 chapters planned out. And I'm excited for all of them. Enjoy the show!**

* * *

"While I understand they do not have many other places to stay, I am unsure if my home can accommodate this many people." Unohana announced, a well-hidden frown on her face.

"I got this, I've been thinking about the arrangement the whole trip here." I pacified. Having known that night had already fallen in the Seireitei before I opened my Garganta, I had placed the exit inside my nurse's living room. "Starrk can sleep anywhere, so he can take the recliner in the living room, Lilynette usually uses him as a pillow, so she's set, Nel or Halibel can take the couch, and whoever doesn't take the couch can have the spare futon."

"And if Isane-chan has a nightmare?"

"Don't act like you don't enjoy having Isane join you. I know you do." A pout formed on the raven haired medic's face at being caught.

"Fine. But what of Shihoin-chan or Ashido-san?"

"Yoruichi uses me like a pillow, and as for Ashido, would you be able to sleep around arrancars if there's Shinigami around?"

"I'm not sure."

"What if one of those Shinigami was awake?" Unohana side-eyed me, with a look on her face that I was sadly familiar with. It was a look that meant she morally disagreed with what I was doing, but logically understood that it was for the best. While it wasn't a guarantee, it was highly likely that I would suffer a nightmare if I went to sleep, and we couldn't have that if we wanted Ashido and the arrancar to trust us. Not with how I woke up after those.

"Probably." The hollow slayer answered.

"Great. You're taking the last futon. I'll be keeping watch in a corner." I clapped my hands, and everyone went over to where I directed them. Halibel took the couch, Nel wanting to be in Unohana's bedroom where I was. Ashido had pulled his futon up to a wall, as far as possible from Nel. Luckily, the verdette was perfectly understanding of his avoidance of arrancar. I sat in my favorite corner, since it gave the best view of the sunrise from inside Unohana's home. Yoruichi curled in on my side, with my arm around her.

"It's not fair that you can be shirtless in the coldest of the three worlds and still be this warm." The mocha skinned beauty mumbled. I smiled.

"Are you complaining?" I whispered, as Nel was already asleep and Ashido was halfway there. He kept on waking himself up whenever Nel moved in her sleep, realizing it was just typical tossing and turning, and then shifting under the blanket to try sleeping again.

"No, it's just that you're making not jumping you difficult." I blinked, before a gentle smile made its way onto my face. Her head was tucked onto my chest, so she didn't see it. There were many things I wanted to say to that, but I had to wait. Partially because right now wasn't the time to say those things, but mostly because my head was getting in the way. I don't think I'll ever believe I'm deserving of them. Especially not if I've already failed them once before. Definitely not with the things I've done. They had kept on insisting, though, so I had eventually took to ignoring the voice of my doubts and insecurities. It was harder to now than ever before, both because it was louder than ever and I didn't have their reassurances to distract me.

I gently rubbed Yoruichi's shoulder and she snuggled deeper into my side, her breathing evening out and softening as she dozed off. I listened to it for a moment, checking that she was indeed asleep and not faking it like she had dozens of times before. Once I was sure, I shifted my gaze over to my nurse, who was sitting up, staring right back at me.

"Everyone else is asleep." I spoke quietly after a moment.

"Do you know where your friends from the human world are?" She questioned, easily keeping her voice soft. I raised an eyebrow, opening my mouth as I spread my reiatsu sense to confirm what I already knew.

"Chad's with Kyoraku, Uryu has pulled Nemu awa-" I stopped mid-sentence. I spread my reiatsu sense once more.

"They left the other day." The medic confirmed. "From what Isane-chan informed me, they wished to ask you to leave with them, or at least say their goodbyes in person. They could not find you, though, and so Ishida-san convinced them to leave, stating that you would return to the World of the Living in due time. At least, that's what I heard." I gaped in shock, utterly speechless. "In my time with you, I gathered you to be the type to keep a constant track of your friends."

"I-I am." I stuttered. She waved it off.

"It is fine, I have already understood what occurred, and I believe you simply haven't realized it yet. You are still living in a 'war'. You drink coffee, which you seem to dislike, but wakes you up quicker than tea, so you are more aware if an enemy attacks. You are constantly on guard, and give out orders as if expected to. And, most importantly, you don't watch for reiatsu of people you assume are dead." My eyes widened, and a chill flooded through my body that pierced all the way to my bones.

"I-I didn't realize…"

"As I said, it is fine. It's easy to understand why you put no thought to not sensing your friends, if they are still dead in your mind. There are other quirks I've caught, such as your focus on busying yourself." I gulped at that. Yeah, I didn't realize I was ignoring the signatures of my friends, but I was fully aware of the second thing she pointed out. I was doing it on purpose, after all. "The question is; why? I have some theories, the most believable being that you are trying to keep yourself from absorbing the situation." I didn't speak, which she caught.

"Correct me wherever I am wrong, then." The immature, rebellious part of me wanted to go against her. The rest of me, Zangetsu included, knew it was for the best if someone was helping me out. "You are trying to not allow yourself the time to think, to take in that those you have lost have returned. You recognize both that your task is of the utmost importance, and that if you take in that they are here once more, you would be distracted from that task. Furthermore, the busier you are, the easier it is to push your conscience to the side. You've taken many lives in the wars, but you haven't taken any of that in. If my deductive skills have not stagnated, someone recognized your heart, informed you of how devastated you would become upon taking your first life, and you chose to not acknowledge any of the lives you took because you couldn't put yourself out of commission when you are so needed." Swallowing the bile that had been steadily crawling up my throat, I nodded. My nurse's face softened, and she came close to rest her right hand against my left cheek.

"Ichigo," Her voice was gentle, calming my nerves and soothing my panic. "We have three years to prepare, and in three days you have already recruited an entire force of lieutentant-class and stronger allies, broke me out of my shell, and assisted two captains in learning to use their zanpakuto. You can come to terms with what you had to do. We'll have the time." God _dammit_. Why did she have to be so good at telling me what I needed to hear? I struggled to not lean into her hand, but I eventually gave in. A sigh escaped my throat, and my eyes closed in some vain effort to keep the tears in.

"…I-I will. And soon. Just not yet. Let me at least get the ball rolling on everybody's training. Let me get everyone to a point where they know what to do. Then I'll do it." I opened my eyes, meeting her blue orbs. They were slightly downcast, but at the same time had a slight pleased gleam to them.

"For now, I will accept that. But if it takes too long, I will stop you." Another sigh left me, before my lips curled into a barely managed smile.

"Wouldn't expect anything less." Unohana returned to her bed, and lay down to sleep as I rolled my head to stare out the window to the night sky. The people sure betrayed the joyous feel it was claimed to have, but the sights definitely portrayed the Soul Society as the Heaven it was supposed to be. I engrossed myself in taking in the framed sight to pass the time, finding comfort from Yoruichi curled in on my side and Unohana being the epitome of elegance as she slept a few feet away. The only time I was ever dragged out of my reverie was when the goddess of flash pulled my arm to her chest in her sleep. The position was slightly uncomfortable, but the sight of the purple-haired woman's face in completely relaxed bliss more than made up for it. I couldn't say how long I watched her after that, but I stopped when the golden rays of the rising sun shined upon us. It was entirely because I knew what would've happened if I didn't look away that I forced myself. She was far too beautiful like that. Though it did allow me to think clearly enough to remember the new habit I wanted to form. Because there was no way in Hell that I was waking Yoruichi as she was, I carefully slipped my hand from her grip (the urge to return it was great when I saw her reaching out for it) and gently picked her up in a bridal carry. The sight of her curled up in my arms with her head against my chest as she slept was one of my favorites. I stood up silently, mentally thanking the werecat's stealth training.

I kneeled down next to Unohana, and I nearly had to ask Zangetsu for help in shaking her awake because it was not fair that she could be that breathtaking with her hair loose. Fortunately, she woke easily. Unfortunately, the half-lidded look she gave me with her hair draped around her as she leaned up halfway made my mind go blank.

"Yes?" She asked sleepily.

"uh."

'Sunrise.'

"Sunrise." Understanding filled her eyes as she nodded and sat up completely. I left the room as she changed. I swore I could hear her amused chuckle as I shut the door with my foot. As I silently traveled past the living room full of sleeping arrancar, Yoruichi's breath ghosted across my bare chest, sending goosebumps across my body. I mentally thanked the Soul King that no one around me was awake to see my reaction. I then mentally cussed, because I would need to hide that reaction before the First Kenpachi finished getting dressed.

I distracted myself by making breakfast, shifting Yoruichi to my left arm so I could cook. It was easy carrying her with one arm, as I was strong and she was light. It always fascinated me how she could hit like a freight train but still be as light as a feather. Shifting my focus from that topic, I started a pot of coffee, with a few extra cups thanks to Zangetsu reminding me of the preferences of the arrancar with me. I got the rice started, and then turned towards the eggs to see Unohana, with her back to me, in front of the stove and cracking the eggs into the pan. Her hair was still undone, she was wearing only a shihakusho, and a chill dancing down my spine told me it was all on purpose.

' **Oi, King, take a closer look at the shihakusho.** ' Shiro's voice was filled with amusement, and thus I was filled with dread. I did as told, and I was sure she heard my resulting gulp. The top she was wearing was mine, and I could tell because it was incredibly oversized. The sleeves were rolled up to the elbows, the bottom reached her mid-thigh, and a sash was tied around her abdomen, clearly to display a figure we both knew she had. She glanced at me from over her right shoulder, and all of what she was doing should be illegal.

"I assume you are wondering how I found out?" That was not at all what I was wondering, but that was a good question. I nodded. "Like how I understood your habits, it became rather obvious once I had enough clues. For example, your refusal to inform either Shihoin-chan or I of who your first time was, your lack of answer upon my asking if you would have more than two partners, and your reaction from my compliment in our bath. What set it in stone for me was your reaction just now when you woke me."

"So…you…"

"Are aware that you, Shihoin-chan, and I were in a relationship in your time? Yes." A glint manifested in her eye that was halfway between mischievous and sadistic. "Will I be teasing you like this until that occurs again? Yes." Shiro started laughing.

Oh God no. When she turned around to grab some seasoning, I was stuck staring at the purposefully displayed cleavage until she faced the stove once again. She knew _exactly_ what she just did, and I knew she was going to enjoy every second of it. Considering she was definitely aware that I intended to hold off until I allowed myself a break, this was going to be hell.

It was painful to continue cooking with her, mostly because we both knew I was too stubborn to stop helping her out with breakfast and she was taking full advantage. The definitive worst moment was when she climbed atop the counter to grab something overhead and showed off that my shihakusho was the only thing she was wearing. The Old Man was my only saving grace, helpfully reminding me that there were waking arrancar in the next room. Shiro was the opposite. He repeatedly reminded me that Yoruichi was in my arms and would more than happily join in on any 'fun' Unohana and I got into. It was difficult, and highly straining on my impulse control, but I held out long enough for Starrk to walk into the kitchen.

"What's that smell?" He asked. I sent a prayer of thankfulness to the Soul King, because while having company wouldn't deter the First Kenpachi in the slightest, it made it leagues easier to reign myself in.

"It's called breakfast." I answered the wolf Espada, who had a really weird first name considering. "It's a meal for waking up, to give you the energy to last the day. Or at least until lunch." The arrancar hummed in interest.

"We never had anything other than tea with Aizen."

"I'm aware. That's one of the reasons why you and the other arrancar are joining us." The raven haired medic squeezed my ass as she passed me, and it was infinitely easier to not smack hers in response as I continued talking to Starrk.

"Why are you holding that woman?" he asked, clearly having forgotten Yoruichi's name.

"I'm holding Yoruichi because she was sleeping on me, and I didn't want to wake her up."

"…Can I trade you for Lilynette?" I laughed, making to keep the volume down as the werecat mewled in my hold.

"Sorry, but no. You don't want that anyway, I'd wake you up if I saw you were sleeping during the day." A small whine crawled out of the brunet's throat.

"Why does no one let me sleep?" I waved off his complaint.

"Don't worry about it, the guys I'm gonna introduce you to today will let you sleep just about all you want."

"You promise?"

"Yep."

"Alright, I'll hold you to that."

"Fine by me. Care to help us bring out the food? We made enough for everyone." The man scratched the back of his head lazily before shrugging. I smiled widely and held out a plate for him to take. It took two trips with the three of us, and we set it all up in the living room since that's where the most people could comfortably sit. As I came out with the pot of coffee, Halibel sleepily sat up on the couch. It was funny, how ironic it was that the person who slept all day was wide awake and the woman who ran an entire realm was the opposite of a morning person. She wasn't attacking anyone, but she was glaring at _everyone_. That lasted until I pushed a cup of coffee in front of her, with milk and sugar in her preferred amounts already added. I nearly laughed out loud at the faces Starrk and Lilynette made upon seeing Halibel pull down her collar and open the gleaming jaws of her mask. There was an utterly satisfied sigh from the tanned woman after finishing her first sip.

"Since when could you do that?" The lime haired arrancar asked.

"Always."

"Why didn't you do that before now?"

"No reason to."

"Do the Tres Bestias know about it?"

"Yes, now quiet." The child arrancar squeaked before slapping a hand over her mouth. Starrk watched all of that, stunned beyond belief. I chuckled before shaking Yoruichi a little. She groaned and tried to press herself further into my chest, so I shook her a little more.

"Five more minutes." She pleaded.

"But then you'll miss breakfast." I prodded.

"I'll steal some from the 4th Division."

"I mean, you can, but the 4th Division doesn't have food made by me." She stopped moving for a moment, and I heard a sniff right before she snapped to face the food. Nearly instantly, she slid out of my hold and sat to my right, opposite Unohana. The medic was sitting on the couch to the right of Halibel, I was sitting at the head of the coffee table, and Yoruichi was to the left of Starrk and Lilynette on some chairs dragged over from the dining room.

"Drink at your leisure, but hold off on the eating until I get Nel and Ashido over here." I ordered as I stood. Entering the bedroom, I was greeted by a hilarious sight. Nel had a habit of clinging to people in her sleep, and she had somehow crawled across the room to lock her arms around Ashido's abdomen. Meanwhile, what nearly made me burst out laughing was how Ashido was awake, his arms pinned to his sides and the most helpless look on his face that was directed at me. I snickered, which caused his pleading look to shift to a glare, and I came over to help him. It was only slightly difficult to pry Nel off the hollow slayer, thanks in no small part to my hollow strength. Once the soul reaper was free, I slung the verdette over my shoulder, earning a look of bewilderment from Ashido. I silently waved for him to follow as I sauntered towards the living room. The man mutely did as I asked. Well, gestured. Without bothering to explain in any sense of the word, I dumped the former 3rd next to the soon-to-be Queen, startling everybody.

"Um-" Yoruichi started, only to be cut off by Nel spontaneously springing to life and grabbing some chopsticks.

"Nel only wakes up to food." I enlightened. "No, she wasn't faking being asleep. No, I don't understand it. Ashido, you can take the seat next to Unohana." I realized after the fact that I forgot to add a formality to Unohana's name. I didn't bother to correct myself. As Ashido sat where I last was, and I sat between Nel and Lilynette (the two had gotten into an eating contest, which I expected), I caught my nurse pouting at me. I knew she would pull some shit if I had sat next to her, it just so happened that an opportunity arose. That opportunity being that Ashido would be more comfortable sitting between Shinigami than he would sitting between arrancar.

"Nel only wakes up to food?" Yoruichi asked. I nodded as I sipped my coffee.

"Yup. Even if we got attacked, she would sleep right through it." My eyebrow twitched as a memory resurfaced. I heard Shiro cackle in my mind at the memory, and Ossan sigh. "I eventually learned that that doesn't limit itself to physical food. Just shouting out names will wake her up."

"I feel like there's a story behind that." The werecat prompted. Ashido looked thoroughly confused, but I was too irritated by the memory to tiptoe around him.

"We once got attacked in the middle of the night, in a camp in Hueco Mundo. We weren't in Las Noches, it was still Aizen's territory, so going in was suicide. It was a stealth squad full of Onmitsukido, with Nel and I acting as guides-slash-guardians. We were all asleep, and Aizen's arrancars came at us. He found out where we were because we only destroyed the sensors around us, he just had some lackeys target the dead zone. My tent was the one that got blasted, they probably recognized me as the strongest and tried to take me out before I could do some damage. They failed, obviously. Anyway, I'm pissed as shit, smoking and with nothing but my hakama having survived the cero assault. Onmitsukido are running around, tents have blasted away from the air pressure, and I see Nel dead asleep on a sheet, holding her zanpakuto like a stuffed bear. Next to nothing the Onmitsukido are using even scratch the arrancar around us, I know that Nel doesn't wake up unless there's food involved, and I'm not thinking straight, so I scream at the top of my lungs 'OMELETS' and she jumps to her feet, drool coming out of her mouth, and asking where the hell the food is. She got her bearings pretty quick, though, and we defeated all the arrancar, so I think I can go back to sleep, only for her to turn to me and ask 'I thought there were omelets'?" Everyone around me was laughing by the time I was done with my story. Ashido was still thoroughly confused, but he was also still entertained. Nel's laughter was far more nervous, but that was drowned out by both Lilynette and Yoruichi pounding the table as they howled. Unohana was giggling behind a hand, and while Halibel's laughter wasn't audible, I could see it on her face. Starrk was chuckling.

"What probably pisses me off the most about that is that the Shinigami started calling it 'Assault on Camp Omelet'. I gave up threatening people to stop calling it that when Kyoraku called it that during a captain's meeting." The laughter doubled. "I nearly fucking _stabbed_ Renji when he ran into a fight, screaming 'OMELETS' as a battle-cry." I distinctly heard Yoruichi wheeze. "The only reason I didn't was because about three dozen Shinigami followed him, screaming the same thing." An amused chuckle escaped Halibel, as Nel clutched her sides and Starrk bellowed out in laughter.

"You have more tales such as that, don't you?" Unohana teased. I raised an eyebrow before something rose to the forefront of my mind and I slapped my barely-used chopsticks against the coffee table.

"You're goddamn right I do! Any of you interested in hearing about how Yoruichi here got into a water balloon fight with Halibel?" The werecat's head shot up in clear interest as the blonde woman tilted her head.

"YES!" The goddess of flash eagerly shouted.

"Great! So…"

* * *

"…and that's how Gin got Grimmjow to blow up Las Noches in a prank war." I finished, to everyone's great amusement. Ashido was still as lost as a puppy, but he was laughing along with everybody else. Unohana and I had cleaned up everything at some point, and everyone had followed us into the kitchen to continue listening to my stories throughout. It was kinda adorable, as well as disorienting telling people about stories that my mind kept telling me they're aware of. Sadly, all the talking caused us to miss the sunrise, but it's not as if we'll always miss it.

"Your stories tell of a much happier time than you described the wars to be." Halibel questioned, one of her eyebrows raised. I blinked at the sudden question, thinking on it for a moment as I realized it had merit. Although I wanted the good mood everyone was in to stay, I knew things had to get serious sooner or later, so I sighed before responding.

"Aizen was a manipulative genius that had planned out the Winter War over a hundred years in advance, but he was arrogant, and underestimated the capabilities of many people because he thought that no one would ever be able to stack up against him. Multiple times throughout the Winter War, we nearly won thanks to Aizen's overconfidence. So yeah, while the intensity of a war was still there, it was kinda dulled down because we were aware he was constantly thinking less of us." My eyes narrowed, and my tone steeled. "But the Blood War was different. The enemy organized it for almost 1,000 years, they studied all potential enemies with scrutiny, they made technology to suppress our strength just in case we proved too much, made sure they constantly outnumbered us, and had countless back-up plans in case shit went sideways for them despite them never believing that it would. Like Aizen, their leader was overconfident in his abilities, but he didn't underestimate us like Aizen had. If it so much as took longer than expected for us to lose, the leader would have his elite soldiers leave the battlefield under the assumption we were planning something. He had a list of people for his soldiers to look out for, people to either take extreme precaution against or avoid entirely. He would order specific soldiers to take on specific Shinigami, ones that would either have or make a clear advantage. He never broadcasted his abilities to us, he wouldn't take the chance that we could somehow plan around them." I felt a pulse from Shiro, and I realized I was shifting away from the original question. I shook my head to straighten my thoughts. "In short, The Winter War sounded lax because it was, for the most part. But the Blood War was one of the worst throughout the entire history of the Soul Society."

Everyone was staring at me, and a heavy atmosphere now hung over the room. I sighed again.

"Sorry for ruining the mood, I promise that won't be a regular thing. We have some stuff to do anyway, so are all of you ready?"

"Give me a moment." Unohana announced as she stood, going to her room to get modest.

"…You mentioned that one of the wars left everything destroyed. That was no exaggeration, was it?" Halibel asked somberly.

"It wasn't." I confirmed. "Everything is gone where I came from. I'm not letting that happen again. I can't match the amount of time the Quincy had to prepare, but I can make up for that with sheer information. I may not know how to counter everything they've got yet, but I do know _what_ to counter."

" _Can_ you best nearly 1,000 years of preparation with three? Even with your vast knowledge, wouldn't such an endeavor be impossible?"

"I hope it is." I answered, to everyone's apparent shock. "Because I'm damn good at doing the impossible." I caught the widening of Halibel and Starrk's eyes, as well as the proud gleam that appeared in Yoruichi's. Unohana came out fully dressed a few moments later, and I knew more of her cleavage was shown on purpose.

"Alright, one more time: everybody ready?" Everyone except the blonde arrancar nodded.

"You haven't specified what we are to be ready for." She pointed out.

"We're gonna introduce you to the captains." I explained. The soon-to-be Queen raised an eyebrow.

"And how are we going to get to them without being attacked?" I snorted.

"I forgot, you don't know me all that well yet. I don't do 'subtle'." I opened the front door and walked out, waving for them to follow. "Come on. We're gonna take a stroll through main street. Ashido, you stay in the 4th Division to recover." A lot of Shinigami glanced at me before shifting their gazes away, clearly afraid of me. I mentally noted what I was about to do was not going to fix that in the slightest. I sensed my group file out of Unohana's home and speed up to walk behind me. The hall was almost emptied out at the sight of the Espada behind me, everyone clearly gathering what they were.

"Oh, Kami, the rumors were true!" One random Shinigami screamed. I chuckled at that in unison with Shiro.

"They're running away." Lilynette announced.

"It's gonna take some time for them to stop being afraid of you guys." I soothed. "Few, if any, of the Shinigami here have even seen an arrancar. Most are just going off stories and legends. Once they see Starrk sleep everywhere and Halibel play chess with Ukitake or Kyoraku, they'll start calming down. Grimmjow is not gonna be allowed here until then." The lime haired arrancar giggled.

"So we're just gonna walk over to the captains in broad daylight." Starrk drawled.

"Yup." I confirmed. "More specifically, we're going over to the Head Captain, where we'll arrange a captains meeting."

"At least we don't have to run around everywhere." Going outside the 4th barely made a difference. At least until Rukia popped out of nowhere to kick me in the face. I barely budged, but I held my hand to my face out of reflex. The adopted Kuchiki in the meantime fell to the ground while clutching her foot.

"Stupid rock-hard Strawberry!" she cussed to herself. She was wearing a Shinigami uniform, but seeing as her zanpakuto was not at her side, I understood that her powers were still coming back.

"Did you forget that I have Hierro?" I asked, a smirk on my face.

"I _still_ don't know what that is!" I blinked. That was a good point.

"It's a defensive ability that hardens my skin, from my hollow side. Blut Vene strengthens the defensive properties of my veins, from my Quincy side."

"Thank you for telling me this _after_ I kick you! Twice!" She sarcastically shouted.

"You're welcome. Why did you kick me?"

"Because you're a stupid Strawberry that's walking around with arrancar in the middle of the Seireitei!"

"So what, ya damn Midget? None of them are attacking, and we're going to Yamamoto to strike a deal!"

"How is _anyone_ supposed to know that beforehand, you oversized oaf?! What if some of the Shinigami try to attack?"

"Then I'll stop them! They're currently afraid of me, they'll cut the crap if I tell them to!"

"It doesn't solve the problem if you tell them after the fact!"

"Is this the one you play fight with?" Nel asked. Both Rukia and I turned to the verdette.

"YES!" We shouted in unison before returning to our 'argument'. That argument lasted until we reached Yamamoto's office, and Rukia only realized where we were when I knocked. She immediately shut up upon locating the double doors with a giant 1 emblazoned on.

"Enter." Well, Yamamoto already sounded annoyed. I opened the doors and walked in with my group following behind, Rukia much meeker than she had been seconds ago. "I could hear you two arguing the moment you entered the 1st Division." The aged captain growled.

"That wasn't arguing." I corrected. "We were playing. Onto more important matters, I'm gonna need you to call a captain's meeting."

"For what reason?" I jabbed a thumb at the Espada behind me.

"To introduce everyone." The Head Captain stared at them for a moment before holding his forehead in his right palm and sighing heavily.

"Sasakibe." He ordered, and the lieutenant sent out a dozen Hell Butterflies. The bearded captain grabbed his cane and stood before coming toward us.

"How did I deal with you last time?" I heard Yamamoto sigh.

"Last time I wasn't anywhere near as powerful, useful, or brazen until really late into the second war. It was easy for you to order around a teenager that you could knock out with a flick. An adult that's stronger than you, knows it, and is overall extremely useful to you is significantly harder to deal with, I imagine." His eye twitched.

"Wonderful." He grumbled. I smirked, and glanced back to see a white-faced Rukia who looked like I just slapped Death across the face.

"Y-you just…ordered the Head Captain…"

"Yup."

"A-and said…you were stronger than him…"

"Yup."

"A-are…you trying to get killed…?" I sighed as my smirk dropped.

"Since you keep forgetting: I'm not the Ichigo that thought he could take on Byakuya because he unlocked Shikai. I'm the Ichigo that beat the guy that killed the Soul King." My best-friend's eyes widened. "Don't let that confuse you, though. I'm still the Ichigo that would invade a world full of people stronger than me to rescue my friend. I'm still the Ichigo that will never let you live down being unable to open a juice box." My smile returned, and I followed after Yamamoto. "And I'm still the Ichigo that will forever be grateful for you coming into my life." Unohana and Yoruichi were at my sides instantly.

"Y'know, I'm starting to think Rukia was part of your first time~." The werecat teased. Unohana giggled behind her hand as I barked out a laugh.

"Nah, Rukia's one of my best-friends. Besides, she's got Renji."

"Furthermore, you can stop asking him, Yoruichi-chan." My nurse pacified.

"Oh? Why not?"

"Well, let's just say I solved the puzzle." An excited glint appeared in the goddess of flash's eyes as a lump of dread formed in my throat. It was going to be hell dealing with one, please, Kami, don't have them both teasing me with all they had at the same time!

"Who is it? Tell me! Please?" Unohana pressed herself up to my side and Yoruichi mirrored her, clearly expecting an answer from the medic.

"Oh my, I never said you could stop guessing, but I can narrow it down for you if you wish." The purple haired goddess's eyes were practically shining, and I gulped as I realized no one behind me could tell what was going on and Yamamoto in front of me wasn't paying attention to us at all.

"Oh, a hint!" I nearly choked as Unohana palmed my crotch without any warning. Shiro, the demon he was, kept my reiatsu level so no one could get suspicious. Betrayal filled my veins as Ossan took control of my body to keep me walking smoothly.

" _I'm_ one of his two partners~." The First Kenpachi purred. Yoruichi extruded a gleeful aura, and a mischievous chuckle bubbled out of her throat.

"Oh ho ho ho, now _this_ is interesting~!" Kami, why have you forsaken me? Is it because I time traveled? I'm not sorry, but this is too cruel a punishment. The raven haired medic leaned up to whisper in my ear.

"It feels so much better than it looks, by the way~." Were it not for Ossan being in control of my body, my head would be smoking and Unohana would be enjoying herself _far_ more. To my great relief, the two women separated from my sides. To my great horror, they huddled together to whisper with each other.

' _I can get Shiro, but you too, Old Man?_ '

'You made the decision to wait on your own. Unohana and Yoruichi cared for you more than anyone else throughout the wars, and made you happier than even Mother.'

' _I have been abandoned by my zanpakuto. I HAVE BETRAYED MYSELF._ '

' **Yep.** '

'Indeed.' I shoved myself back in control and folded my arms over my chest as I pouted.

"What's with the pout?" Rukia asked, having joined my side at some point.

"My zanpakuto just abandoned me. They don't agree with some of my decisions."

"Ah. I can sympathize."

"Oh, shut up, damn Midget!" A smug smirk grew on her face.

"Make me, Strawberry!"

"Oh, I fucking will. Come over here!" She stuck her tongue out as she retreated out of my reach. I followed her, and we ran circles around the group as we shouted automated insults at each other. Before Yamamoto could get irritated enough to try to burn me, I snapped forward to catch the midget by the back of her shihakusho. We were in front of the doors to the meeting hall, and everyone was present except Zaraki, including Gin. I blinked and dropped Rukia on her ass, hearing her immediate complaints as I walked over to the snake. He noticed almost immediately, and directed his smile at me.

"Hiya."

"Hey. Before you say anything, I want to apologize." The man tilted his head in confusion. "I took your opportunity from you. Didn't give you the chance to give Aizen what he deserves."

"Guess ya really are from the future, ain'cha?"

"Outside of the fact that I had my own axe to grind with Aizen, I took it from you because when you tried, you failed. You got Aizen in the heart with your Bankai, set off the poison, and watched a hole appear in his chest. The problem is that he regenerated, and killed you for it." The snake's grin fell, and he opened his eyes.

"Yer sayin' all o' what I did was for nuthin'?"

"No. I'm saying he had a magic bullshit rock, and you don't have to deal with that anymore. You didn't betray the Soul Society in this timeline. Rangiku doesn't hate you anymore. So after this meeting, if you _really_ want to fulfill your promise to her, take her out on a date." The man stared at me for a long moment, his eyes open the whole time. Then he closed them, and gave me a genuine smile.

"I see, then. Thanks." I returned his smile before going back to my group.

"What did you two talk about?" Yoruichi asked.

"For his own reasons, Gin probably wanted Aizen dead more than even the Vizard did. I apologized to him for not giving him the opportunity to kill the man himself." The werecat's eyebrows rose in shock and disbelief.

"Okay." Zaraki slid into the hall, Yachiru giggling on his shoulder.

"Oi, Yachiru!" The current Kenpachi growled to his zanpakuto spirit. "You said we would be here ten minutes ago!"

"Then I thought I smelled some candy, and so I had you go to the candy, but there wasn't candy!"

"Don't lie to me! We passed the Squad 11 barracks three times!"

"But I did smell candy, Kenny! Every time we came to where I thought the candy was, it turned out to be somewhere else!"

"Eh?! How's that work out?!"

"Don't ask me, Kenny! I don't know!"

"Fine! We're here now, we'll worry about the disappearing candy later."

"But I want candy now!"

"Then go to Ukitake! He always gives ya candy, doesn't he?!"

"Thanks, Kenny!" The pink haired spirit shouted as she bounced over to her second favorite captain, who already had a small bag of treats in his hand. The meeting doors opened after the girl returned to her wielder, and everyone entered. The arrancar stayed behind me as Yoruichi leapt over to Byakuya.

"Everyone is here. Begin, Kurosaki." Yamamoto gruffly ordered. I withheld my smirk, gesturing to the group behind me.

"Alright, getting this out of the way, these are some of the arrancar I recruited from Hueco Mundo. There's a few more, but they wished to stay. They are going to be our allies, and will report directly to me until they are treated as equals. Kurotsuchi, I will tell you once and once only, touch a hair on any of their heads without explicit permission and I will personally destroy your lab, everything in it, and all of your back-ups." The clown snarled, but nodded. "Alright, you can introduce yourselves." As expected, Halibel came up first.

"I am Tier Halibel, the 3rd Espada."

"Hm, the name's Coyote Starrk. 1st Espada. This is Lilynette, she's my fraccion."

"Hi! I'm Nelliel Tu Odelschvank, the former 3rd Espada! Nice to meet you all!" The captains each introduced themselves, and I continued.

"Okay, I understand that was a little rushed, but now we're moving onto the important stuff." I stepped forward a little, and Zangetsu manifested behind me. I sensed the arrancar take a step back to give us more room. "Since coming here, my zanpakuto and I have spent every minute we had planning. I personally am not the best at it, but Ossan here makes up for that by being a master tactician. We are still not done planning, but we have a good idea and a solid start. In this meeting, we are going to set that plan in motion. So if you want to win this upcoming war, listen up, because this is Step One."


	10. Step One

**Sup everybody! Finally made it on time! I'm sorry the last chapter was low-quality for me, but I promise to make up for it with this upcoming wave of chaps! Also, thank you all for the support! Enjoy the show! (Bonus: The new dupe system in BBS is stupid. Before you assume I'm salty because I have a new account, I've been playing for three years and I've got a load of dupes. I say it's stupid because it is.)**

* * *

"You're asking us to follow a plan not fully formed?" Yamamoto raised an eyebrow.

"We don't exactly have the luxury of time, here. I've got the beginning down, anyway." I reasoned.

"Then proceed." I nodded and began pacing a small circle in the middle of the room, looking everyone in the eye as I passed them.

"Alright, so the enemy we're preparing for are the Quincy. They are led by a Quincy named Yhwach. Yamamoto fought them 1,000 years ago, and failed to kill him. This should be your first hint that they are a serious threat. Over the past 1,000 years, they have been watching the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo, studying our abilities and technology. Quite literally, they are watching us from the shadows. Before any of you start going off about how I'm letting loose my knowledge of them where they can potentially hear it, they only watch select areas. Any and all known training grounds, places with the most foot traffic, and the Academy are all kept under almost constant watch. They don't care about our personal lives, they just want to study our combat abilities. I will inform all of you of places to train without fear of being watched, but make sure to not make it obvious what's going on. If they get suspicious that we're aware of them, they _will_ watch us more. They'll watch our homes, they'll have soldiers tail us, they will find out what we are doing and they will make it their goal to learn how they got found out."

" **These guys are ruthless, 'n paranoid.** " Shiro warned. " **They catch wind that King is from the fut're, we're fucked. We never found out all o' their plans, we're planning around what they did ta us, and if they switch it up, we're runnin' in blind** _ **again**_ **. They got enough of an advantage as is, we can't afford any more.** "

"Yhwach has hundreds of thousands of foot soldiers, and each of them are trained to match lieutenants. He has 26 elite soldiers, four of which make up his personal guard. This was done on purpose to perfectly outnumber our captains, and each of those elites are stronger than most of you are now. Step One is bridging that gap. Zangetsu and I have begun formulating training regimes tailored specifically to each of you, to at the very least get you to where you were in my time, and hopefully past that."

"The Quincy dominated for most of the war because they took full control almost immediately. Whenever we managed to overcome a disadvantage, they switched tactics, switched soldiers, and changed targeting zones. We were constantly trying to figure them out, while they knew everything about us the entire time. We are working to turn that advantage of knowledge around on them, and shift things so that when they attack, _we_ are the ones in full control."

"I will give everyone knowledge about the enemy, and as the plan comes closer to being fully formed, I will assist each of you in preparing to face specific soldiers. Zangetsu and I will also be going around the Seireitei, personally assisting significant fighters in their training. This will include helping some of you unlock Bankai, helping others learn to utilize their zanpakuto better, helping master certain abilities, and help some of you unlock new forms. Arrancar, I'm sure you caught me saying 'Segunda Etapa' when I recruited you. This is a second stage of Ressurreccion, Ulquiorra has access to a bastardized form of it. I will be helping him unlock the true version of it, as well as helping all of you access yours.

I will eventually go to the World of the Living to recruit Kisuke Urahara and the exiled Shinigami from 100 years ago. They will partake in training just like you, they will be your allies like the arrancar, and you can bitch and moan all you want if you don't like it. We don't have the time to be picky about our allies, neither I nor the Quincy give a shit about how confident you are in your abilities, and if I catch you making a big deal out of it when we're preparing for a war that in my time _killed_ all of you, I'll intensify your training to the point where you won't be able to speak. Understood?" Although everyone nodded, Soi Fon distinctly looked uncomfortable, having clearly understood I was directing all of that on her.

" **King, Old Man, and I 're gonna be assignin' ourselves as yer trainers. We won' be there the whole time, we got our own shit ta do and other people ta train, we're jus' gonna be getting' ya started. We will occasionally pop in ta see how it's goin' an' we might drop a pointer or two if ya need it. This is gonna be hell, but we're tryin' ta make up fer a thousand years o' prep time, so deal wit' it.** " I nodded at his words.

"We'll get to everyone, and for those we can't get to immediately, get your ass in gear because we're gonna be your slave drivers. Like I said, we don't have everyone figured out, but for those we have already planned out: I will take Yamamoto, Renji, Rukia, Yoruichi, Zaraki, Soi Fon, Halibel, and Starrk."

" **I'm takin' Momo an' Nel. We've each got others, but they ain't here right now.** "

"And I shall oversee Toshiro and Byakuya."

"For those of us aware of everyone you're familiar with, who's taking who?" Yoruichi called out.

"Shiro and I will both oversee the Visored, and I'm also taking Kisuke."

" **I'm showin' Chad how ta use his shit properly, helpin' out Ulquiorra, an' teaching Grimmjow how ta earn a crown.** "

"I shall also direct Uryu in how to properly use Quincy techniques."

"If anyone has a problem with that, I don't give a shit. You may not understand it, but everyone's arranged that way for a reason."

"You have left out a lot of names in your 'training regimes'." Kurotsuchi pointed out.

"Some people I either can't help out, or will serve a different purpose. You, for example, will work with Kisuke to counter their tech. The Quincy have devices to travel through shadows, and medallions to steal our Bankai's once released." The clown's eyes widened in interest. "Gin, you were dead during the Blood War, so I don't know how to help you. Unohana I already returned to the fight, Komamura, you said something about performing some ritual and you turned…mostly human." The wolfman narrowed his eyes, he seemed to recognize what I was talking about. "Kyoraku, Ukitake, you're pretty much ready. I want you to spar with Unohana regularly to double check that you're not rusty, and if you are, to get back up to par."

"They require no assistance yet I do?" Yamamoto questioned.

"You've been sitting down and doing nothing for so long that you've gotten rusty." I grunted. "Yhwach said as much before he cut you in half." Shouts of shock erupted across the room, but the bearded captain merely gripped his cane.

"You need a warm up. Not some half-assed one like sparring with Kyoraku and Ukitake, but a full on fight where you're trying to kill someone. For your training, we're going to go to Muken, let loose our Bankais and you're gonna try not to die until you can keep up with me." The ancient captain cracked his eyes open, and I could feel how badly Soi Fon wanted to deny what I was saying.

"I…can't help but feel uncomfortable with who your hollow is assigned to." Toshiro announced. I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm gonna assume you're not talking about the three arrancar or single human he's watching over and instead about Momo." I drawled. The icy captain flinched minutely. "Shiro."

" **As weird as it might sound, Witch and I 're friends where we come from. We ain't as close as you two, but whenever I ain't with King an' his friends, I'm with 'er.** "

"You're someone she's trained to kill on sight. Moreover, you're the hollow of the..man…that killed the person she worshipped." The prodigy reasoned. Shiro glanced at me out the corners of his eyes, and I nodded.

" **Yeah, an' I wouldn't mind fer a second if she decided she needed a punchin' bag. Bein' betrayed by the person what makes up yer world is somethin' I'm familiar wit'. Contrary ta what ya might think, King an' I didn't always have a perf'ct relationship.** "

"Shiro, we don't have a perfect relationship."

" **Yeah, cause you'll stop yerself from fukkin the brains outta someone cause yer fukkin waitin, an' I'm questionin' yer life decisions.** " Luckily, everyone's attention was on us, so no one other than me noticed the smirk appear on Unohana's face.

"Ignore that last bit." I demanded to everyone. "Toshiro, you still think Shiro training Momo is a bad decision?" Although the captain's eye twitched at his name, he shook his head.

"I apologize. I underestimated how much thought you put into all of this."

"It's fine." I waved off. "Anyone else want my reasoning explained to them?"

"Yes," Soi Fon immediately spoke up. "Why are you training me?"

"Because deal with it." I shot back automatically.

"That's not an-"

"Anyone else?" I cut her off.

"Why is…'Shiro'…training Sado-kun?" Rukia cautiously asked.

"I'm not gonna explain the intricacies of it, but Chad's and Orihime's powers have hollow origins. Shiro is the best one for that. Orihime isn't being trained because she already has all of her powers unlocked, but Chad is holding himself back. Shiro also happens to be the expert on _that_ particular type of restraint. Is that all?" Everyone shook their heads.

"Alright then, so I'm sure at least most of you think you know what Quincies can do though Uryu. The group that we're preparing for, the Wandenriech, are on a completely different level, and have a much more dangerous bag of tricks. All of them specialize in long-range combat, but most also have close-range weaponry. Yhwach made sure to train all of his elites to get their close-range combat up to par with ours, so don't assume that you have the advantage if you keep them where you want them. The foot soldiers are also trained in close combat, but they were just trained enough to last long enough to get away. You get in their breathing room, and they will lose."

"The foot soldiers wield reishi bows and swords, and each carry tubes of liquefied reishi that power their traps. If their behavior is suspicious in combat, watch them carefully, as they likely are preparing a trap. The main purpose of the foot soldiers is to take out those lieutenant-class and below so the elite soldiers can focus on the captains and other significant threats."

"The elite soldiers are called 'Sternritter'. In addition to the standard weaponry that they share with the foot soldiers, they each have weapons that are tailored specifically for them. Whether those weapons are to channel their powers or enhance them depend on the Sternritter and their power. The power I'm talking about is called a 'schrift'. Upon drinking some of Yhwach's blood, they are granted a letter by him that describes their ability. Some of those abilities are negligible, some start off weak but build up in strength quickly, some are difficult to deal with, and some you will require strategy and allies to combat. Yhwach himself is the 'A' or 'Almighty'. Listen to what I'm about to say well, because this, more than anything else, determines if we win or lose." Everyone grew tense, to the point that even Zaraki seemed worried. "Do _not_ , under _any circumstances_ , give him a reason to activate 'The Almighty'."

"What does it do, for you to give us such a warning?" Byakuya asked, clearly perturbed.

"'The Almighty' allows Yhwach to not only see every possible future, but control which future occurs. The first time I fought him, he broke my Bankai the moment I released it using that ability. Multiple times in our final battle, I killed him, only for him to pull from alternate futures where he didn't die and resurrect himself. He will see every move you make throughout the entirety of a battle before you even enter the battlefield, he will see every opening in every attack you send out before you even draw your sword, and he will know what decisions you will make before you even come across the choice. Worst of all, he will use this ability to completely overwhelm us and erase any chances of victory. According to Ossan, they only reason I managed to beat him was because the attack I sent out was so destructive, there were no futures in which Yhwach could've survived." The room was left stunned.

"So long as you follow our instructions and never give Yhwach reason to use 'The Almighty', you will not have to worry about such power. Focus, for we are not finished in informing you all of the upcoming threat." Most of the people in the meeting snapped out of their shock. Eh, I'll probably have to go through some of these profiles again anyway.

"The four elite guard are the C, D, M, and X Sternritter. The schrift given to them are ''Compulsory', 'Death-Dealing', 'Miracle', and 'X-Axis' respectively. The Compulsory has the ability to control his nerves, as well as spread them across the battlefield to infect his enemies' nerves and control those. He also can replicate most of the traits of those he comes into contact with, being reiatsu level, intelligence, and physical abilities. The Death-Dealing can adjust the immunity levels of both himself and his enemies. If he is exposed to your reiatsu, given enough time, he can become immune to it. If he drinks your blood, he can lower your body's immunity to your own blood so that you are poisoned by your blood. Anything that can be measured in amounts he can fuck with if he's exposed to it. The Miracle is just plain annoying. Any damage dealt to him will make him proportionally more powerful based on the attack. It was hell finding out how his ability worked, and how to beat it, but basically, if there exists any possible chance that he could survive something, even less than a tenth of a percent, he will 'miraculously' survive. I beat him by vaporizing him with my Bankai. For the X-Axis, he's got a giant gun. When he shoots, he pierces everything between himself and his target, and it's extremely specific, so if you dodge while he shoots, you're fine. He's got a shit-load of weird and complicated abilities that I don't understand, just-just take him out quick and you're fine."

" **Next, is the second-in-command. His letter is 'B', obviously, an' it stands for 'Balance.' It's a cheap-ass ability where if his opponent is 'fortunate' enough ta hit him, and he's 'unfortunate' enough ta get hit, he 'balances' the fortune by shovin' his injuries ta you. Basic'lly, he's a bitch. Who's next?** " Shiro asked me. I smirked.

"E." Shiro smirked back at me.

" **Boombo*! I like Boombo. If only she was on our side.** " The zanpakuto faced our audience once again. " **Boombo's ability is 'Explode', 'n it's a bit special. She controls reishi, and anythin' that her controlled reishi comes inta contact wit' becomes a bomb.** "

"The 'F' is 'The Fear'. He fires thorns of reishi, and if they come into contact with you, you are forced to become terrified of him. You can easily overcome his ability by simply having great willpower."

"Next is 'The Glutton'. She can extend her mouth from her body, and while doing this, she can eat through anything and everything without resistance. This includes reiatsu, barriers, your zanpakuto, and more. Then is 'The Heat', who can fire beams of intense fire from his fingers. It can match Ryujinn Jakka's flames, be wary of it. Following him is 'The Iron'. He can use reishi to form an iron-like substance along his skin, Zaraki's Shikai easily ignores it."

" **Comin' up is 'Jail'. He can make prison's that completely seal ya off from the rest o' the world. Only way ta get out is ta feed it Quincy reiatsu, no amount o' force will so much as scratch it. Then there's tha robot. He's 'The Knight', an' he can make weapons from 'is body.** "

"The 'L'," It was obvious how angered Ossan was by the Sternritter in question. He had inherited my disgust for those that play with others' emotions. "Is 'The Love'. He can fire a projectile of reishi that induces a feeling of false obsession of him in the victim. Once hit, they will do anything he commands without question. Only those who do not feel love are immune to it."

"'The Necrosis'," I continued for my Quincy spirit. "Can prevent injuries caused by him from healing, as well as causes them to become worse over time. The effect ends with his death. Next is 'The Overkill'. He absorbs the power of those he kills, which sounds really bad, but he's stupid, arrogant, and likes feeling like he's superior. He goes for nameless Shinigami mostly while complaining about how weak they are and denying that he likes it, so if you see him, just take him out."

" **The 'P' is 'Power'. She's got some serious physical strength, but ain't got much else. 'Question' makes ya doubt yerself to the point that ya can't fight.** "

"That sounds worrisome." Ukitake frowned.

"In theory." I grunted. "She went to Zaraki for the purpose of 'questioning' him out of the fight. Neither she nor Yhwach realized that when Zaraki gets confused, he attacks whatever confused him." The captain in question snorted.

"Ya got that right."

"Moving on, the 'R' is 'The Roar'. He has a supersonic screech, there is little threat to be had so long as you have proper ear protection. The 'S' is 'The Superstar'. Although it appears to be a single person, 'The Superstar' is two people completely unified by the ability. Through cheering the other on, they empower themselves, heal themselves, and even bring the other back from the dead through the ability. The only way to defeat them is to eliminate both at the same time."

"'The Thunderbolt' is able to attack with lightning, simple enough. 'The Underbelly' can analyze reiatsu and find out people's weaknesses by doing so. He prefers to hide out in a corner and watch people like a stalker because his ability becomes more effective the longer he watches someone."

" **Next is 'The Visionary'. He's a kid, but don't underestimate 'im. His power is ta make anythin' he thinks up real. Makin' yer bones inta puddin', makin' meteors appear outta nowhere, shit like that's easy for him. All ya gotta do is not let 'im think an' ya got an easy shot at winnin'.** "

"The 'W' is 'The Wind'. For the most part, the name is inaccurate to the ability. He bends things away from objects and people that he wishes, such as bending swords away from his body before they can cut him, or splitting things by having it bend away from itself. The only limitation is his perception. If he cannot perceive an attack coming, he cannot bend it away from himself."

"'The Yourself' is made up of two people. Unlike 'The Superstar', they are not united together. They are two people with two versions of the same ability. One mimics someone's appearance and memory, while the other mimics someone's appearance and power. Neither can do both, and that's an easy way to figure out if the person you're talking to is real or not. Finally, is 'The Zombie'." A pit of disgust formed in my stomach, and I felt Zangetsu have a similar reaction.

"Her blood infects anyone that's not a Quincy upon contact, and turns them into a 'zombie' for her to control. If they are a Quincy, she can only turn them once they're dead. She can do this as many times as she likes without limit, and there is no way to resist her control. Kurotsuchi eventually found a way to keep our allies from being controlled by her, but he couldn't find a way to prevent her from reviving other Quincy. Most of the Blood War, she would bring back Sternritter that died, resurrect them, and Yhwach would strengthen them before sending them out to fight again. When we finally managed to get a leg up on the Wandenreich, it was halfway through the fifth year of the war and it was when I finally managed to end her. She hangs around the other female Sternritter, she's utterly disgusting and has no regard for the lives of those around her. If you see her, killing her becomes your priority, regardless of what you were doing until then. You could be delivering us their back-up plans, sneaking around to assassinate Yhwach, hell even transporting an injured ally to a medic. Killing 'The Zombie' will take priority."

"I sense something more than military tactics behind your words." Yamamoto gravely prodded.

"…She took control of multiple of my friends and ordered them to attack me while she sat back and watched. Mayuri hadn't invented the way to turn them back at the time." Through the heavy aura that had manifested at the start of the warning/information dump, I felt the sympathy that nearly everyone felt for me. "Am I forgetting anything?" I asked Zangetsu. Both shook their heads.

"Nothing I can currently recall, outside of going over their tactics and methodology."

"That can be saved for another time. Alright, Halibel, you take Starrk, Lilynette, and Nel with you back to Hueco Mundo, Shiro and I will pop in sometime soon for your training." The blonde nodded before opening a Garganta and having her fellow arrancar enter before her. I turned to the Shinigami around me.

"Like I said at that start, our plan isn't fully formed, but the part of the plan that's requiring the most work is the final step, which is the Opening Assault. However prepared we manage to become, what we do during the Assault determines whether it will be worth it or not. And we have already caught so many ways where things can go horribly wrong. These next three years will not be easy on anyone, but if we do this right, it will all be worth it. Yamamoto, I will be waiting in front of your office tomorrow after sunrise. Be ready." I finished before turning away. I'm sure the bearded captain would've tried to burn me for my leaving without his dismissal had he not been contemplating my words. Zangetsu returned to my Inner World as I opened the massive double doors. I was halfway towards the exit of the 1st Division when Yoruichi, Unohana, and oddly enough, Shuhei caught up to me.

"Shuhei?" I questioned. "You need something from me?" The man chucked nervously.

"Well, kind of. This is gonna be really awkward to ask, and maybe a little insensitive, but please understand I don't mean to offend you if I do!" he ranted with an uneasy smile. "See, I'm part of the Seireitei Bulletin, I'm actually the chief editor, which you probably know, I just realized. I have a lot of duties and responsibilities and-"

"Just spit it out. I promise I won't be offended; as you probably realized, I know you." I commanded.

"Okay, then, um, would you mind if I asked you to tell the events of the time you're from for the Seireitei Bulletin?" That threw me for a loop. I blinked.

"…You…want me turn the wars into bathroom reading material?"

"Ah, that's-making it sound really bad! Since you're from the future and all, and you know all of us more than we might ever know you, and since half the Seireitei is terrified of you, I thought it would be good if there was a way for them to connect with you, you know? Get past the fact that you can go toe-to-toe with the Head Captain in his Bankai and find out who you really are? And you also want us to train for the upcoming war with the Quincies, so I thought: what if there was a way to do both at the same time? And I came up with the idea of you having the Seireitei Bulletin publish your experiences in the war, so Shinigami can both get to know you and get tips about how to get stronger, or learn the enemy's battle strategies."

"Hm, wonderful idea, Hisagi-san!" Unohana praised. The tattooed man turned to the raven haired medic in shock.

"Really? I thought I was kinda stupid, and insensitive to the experiences Kurosaki-san went through."

"Oh, quite the contrary. It would do well in assisting the Seireitei in growing comfortable with Ichigo, and help them understand the weight of what he has done." My eye twitched as I watched my nurse attempt to make my decision for me.

"Hold on, what if I don't want to do it? What if I don't want to burden the Shinigami with the thoughts of what happens if this goes wrong?" She sighed before pouting.

"Then I would have to allow it, as I cannot force you to do something you do not want to do." Shuhei seemed to grow even more nervous at our interaction. He quickly pulled out a something from his shihakusho before thrusting it out towards me. I couldn't help but grab out of reflex.

"If you don't want to do it, or are on the fence about it, at least take this in case you do decide to do it." I glanced down at the black device in my hands.

"Um, why did you give me a camcorder?"

"The Bulletin recently thought to take a new approach to publishing. Videos are much more efficient than magazines, especially to Shinigami! They have something to visually stimulate them while listening to articles, and since they don't have to actually look at it to receive information, Shinigami can listen while filling out paperwork or going on patrols!"

"Uh, alright. I'll give it back within a week, I guess. Probably not gonna do it, though."

"Knowing that you at least gave it some thought is all I need!"

"Thanks, then, Shuhei. See ya!" I waved before turning back to exit the building.

"Goodbye, Kurosaki-san!" The tattooed man responded before I heard him leave in another direction.

"So, are you really not gonna do it?" Yoruichi immediately asked. "Because it's something _I_ would definitely spend money for."

" _You_ can ask me about what happened whenever you want. Nine times out of ten, I'd tell you. It's different, though, having my personal experiences available to the public for them to listen whenever they want. Especially these experiences. I wasn't just talking out of my ass when I mentioned how Shinigami might worry themselves into depression."

"It might also invigorate them like it did you. The want to keep what you love safe is a powerful motivator, and knowing it could all be destroyed if they don't grow stronger could be all they need _to_ grow stronger." The First Kenpachi suggested.

"It's a risk." I frowned. "I'm not sure if I want to take risks in a situation like this. If it goes wrong, I'm not sure I'll be able to fix it in time for us to be ready."

"Kurosaki-san!" The voice of Nanao cut off our conversation. The three of us turned back to see the prim and proper lieutenant jogging up to us with Rangiku at her side.

"What's up? And please don't say it's about recording a video." The women blinked before shaking their heads in unison. I immediately grew suspicious, as those two being so in sync usually meant bad things.

"Can you take off your top for us?" The strawberry blonde asked. Her glasses-wearing partner blushed heavily, but nodded tightly. I blinked.

"…What?"

"We are looking for candidates for this year's calendar. It's mostly bought by the women of the Soul Society, so we've decided to tailor it more to them this year to boost sales." The raven-haired lieutenant explained.

"That doesn't explain why you want me to take off my shirt." Nanao blushed harder.

"Well-"

"The calendar is gonna be full of guys, half-naked at best, and we're trying to find the best looking guys for it!" Rangiku grinned.

"Hell-!" Yoruichi cut my rejection off by pulling down the shoulders of my shihakusho, causing the garment to fall and bunch around my waist. "Goddamn it Yoruichi!" The werecat stuck her tongue out with the smuggest look she could manage, and I was half-tempted to lean forward and grab her tongue with my teeth.

"We found a winner!" The blonde cheered

"Indeed. Kurosaki-san, would you mind posing for our calendar?"

"No way in Hell!"

"Ichigo currently has no source of income." Unohanna supplied. I turned to her with a horrified look.

"We'll give you 10% of the revenue." Rangiku immediately offered.

"5." Nanao lowered.

"7."

"Fine. We'll give you 7% of the revenue if you agree to be in the calendar." I glared at all four women.

"Can you guarantee that I won't be naked?" I asked.

"Yes." The strawberry blonde agreed. I continued glaring for a moment.

"Crank it back up to 10% and you have a deal."

"8." The lieutenant of the 8th division immediately counter-offered

"10."

"9."

" _10_." I growled.

"10 it is." The proper woman squeaked. "We will contact you when we are taking the pictures. Have a nice day." Having said her piece, Nanao grabbed Rangiku by the arm and pulled her away. I sighed and slipped my top back on, ignoring Yoruichi's whine of complaint. I readjusted my clothes so that everything fit comfortably, and then crossed my arms over my chest.

"Is something wrong?" Unohana asked.

"I'm waiting for the third surprise visitor. They never come in twos."

"Well, Hisagi-san went up to us for the Bulletin, and the girls came for the SWA. I can't think of any other organizations in the-" The werecat was cut off by another voice.

"Excuse me, Kurosaki-san!" The goddess of flash's mouth fell open in shock.

"Told you." I sighed before turning to hopefully the last person to interrupt us. My face dropped into a scowl at the man in obnoxiously expensive-looking clothing that was coming our way.

"You _are_ Kurosaki-san, correct? I apologize for my confusion, you don't completely fit the description I was given." The noble announced.

"Yeah." I grunted. I was only humoring him because I didn't see any bribes on his person.

"Perfect!" The man smiled. "The Tsunayashiro's are inviting you to have dinner with them tonight, they are most excited to meet you!" I vaguely recalled Kyoraku telling me of a noble house with that name a few years back. I didn't remember what he told me about them.

"Why are they inviting me to dinner?" I asked, curious.

"The Tsunayashiro's are one of the Four Great Noble Clans." Yoruichi informed. "They document the history of the Soul Society, and are probably really interested in the fact that you time-traveled."

"Wait, so you mean they _don't_ want to bribe me into being their personal attack dog?"

"Most likely." The purple haired woman shrugged.

"When's the dinner?" I immediately asked the noble.

"7 PM tonight, Kurosaki-san!"

"Great. I'll be there with Unohana and Yoruichi." The man quickly grew nervous.

"A-ah, y-you see, Kurosaki-san, they requested that you only bring a maximum of one guest with you."

"Ah, you see, I don't care. Go on, you better let them know I'm gonna bring two guests so they don't freak out." I shoo'ed the man away, and he left promptly.

"You know, it's pretty ballsy to just ignore a noble's request like that." Yoruichi smirked.

"It was pretty ballsy to invade the Soul Society and stop an execution, too, and I kicked the ass of a noble clan head while at it." I snarked. Both women giggled at my comment. "Come on, we need to pick up our clothes from the cleaners and get some formal wear for me."

* * *

"This should be impossible. And that is coming from someone that regularly does the impossible." I mumbled once again as we stood in front of the Tsunayashiro home.

"Yes, you've been repeating that since leaving the store." Unohana sighed.

" _Because it should be impossible._ " I reasoned. What I was referring to were the clothes that they had picked out for me. Which were a near-perfect replica of my Bankai coat from my regained powers after I lost them fighting Aizen, minus the neck guard and the gloves. And the fact that they had demanded I wear it upon it catching their eye. They refused any and all outfits I picked out, which were infinitely more formal than something I linked to battle attire. Their reasoning was that if I broke the mold for everything else, I might as well break the mold for this. After nearly half an hour of arguing and fruitlessly picking different outfits, Unohana won by whispering something in my ear so dirty that Ossan had to manifest to hold me back from taking her then and there.

The medic was currently clad in a mind-numbingly beautiful ankle-length kimono that looked like someone had ripped a sunset out of the sky and plastered it onto the fabric. The bottom was strikingly black, and slowly melted into a myriad of oranges, yellows, reds and purples as it went up. Her hair was pinned up at the back of her head in a series of loops, and it only strengthened the elegant aura she radiated. Yoruichi was the opposite in the best possible way. She wore a short kimono which ended at her mid-thigh that displayed her legs gloriously. It was black, with orange splattered about like someone threw paint on it, and everything about it screamed defiance. Especially with her hair completely undone and tossed over her right shoulder. I noticed that both women wore orange and black, colors that almost seemed synonymous with me. Unohana most likely did it intentionally, and Yoruichi probably still hasn't realized. The door we were waiting in front of opened, and I refocused my attention on who opened it. It was a tall man who looked to be just under six feet tall, with dark green hair kept in a bun, and clad in a green kimono that looked outrageously expensive. He had brown eyes, and a wide smile appeared on his face as soon as he spotted me.

"Kurosaki-san! I'm so happy you accepted my invitation! Please, come in!" The man stepped to the side so we could enter, and shut the door behind us. "The dining room is this way, please follow me."

As we were shown the way to the dining room, I noticed the displays lining the walls, either of items preserved in glass boxes or papers hung in frames with plaques in front of each.

"I see you're noticed our relics!" Pride filled the man's voice. I raised an eyebrow.

"Relics?"

"Throughout the history of the Soul Society, there have been many objects of great importance or significance. We have collected them in our mission to keep record of the history of the Soul Society, and preserve them as best as we can."

"Huh. Neat." We were led to a large room with an equally large table, a large and heavenly buffet atop it. A woman slightly shorter than Yoruichi was waiting for us, with light green hair of a slightly different shade than Lilynette's. The woman wore a similar kimono to the man that had brought us to the room, the only difference being she also wore a green obi. She had green eyes and a small smile that for some reason made me feel like I should raise my guard. I made a mental note to watch her as the man stepped up to the woman and put his arm around her as they faced us.

"Now that everyone is here, allow us to introduce ourselves. I am Donyoku Tsunayashiro, 17th Head of the Tsunayashiro clan. This is my wife, Kyoeikokoro Tsunayashiro." The man greeted.

"It is wonderful to meet you." Kyoeikokoro beamed.

"Ichigo Kurosaki." I responded. No need to be rude, even if they already knew my name.

"Retsu Unohana, Captain of the 4th Division." My nurse bowed.

"Yoruichi Shihoin, Ex-Captain of the 2nd Division and 22nd Head of the Shihoin Clan." The werecat nodded.

"It is truly a pleasure to meet all of you, you all are so significant in the history of the Soul Society! Please, let us sit down and eat." Donyoku ushered. We sat so that Unohana was to my left, and Yoruichi to my right with the Tsunayashiro's across from us. The green haired man sat to the left of his wife. The food was great, and I begrudgingly sent thanks to my dad for teaching me manners.

"Ahem, since I'm sure you're wondering why I invited you, I must admit that I am utterly fascinated by the rumors that you are from the future! Are they true?" The man excitedly asked.

"Yeah. One of my friends made a rock to send me back in time, and I flung myself back 10 years."

"Incredible! And who was it that make the 'rock'?"

"Kisuke Urahara." The green couple gasped.

"Kurosaki-san, you don't mean the man that was exiled from the Soul Society due to Hollowfying his fellow Shinigami?" The woman looked appalled. I shook my head.

"Kisuke didn't do that. That was Aizen, and when Kisuke figured it out, Aizen framed him for it. Actually, Kisuke helped them out as best as he could. He couldn't destroy their hollows, because they were already part of their souls, but he did help them with learning to keep them under control and use them." Yoruichi nodded in confirmation and the man's eyes gleamed.

"Oh, my! I knew you would be able to shine light on some events that were difficult to document, but I didn't know you would be _this_ helpful!" A chuckle popped out of my throat.

"Happy to help."

"From what I've heard, Aizen seemed to be masterminding his betrayal for a long time, it's unbelievable that the signs were so well hidden!"

"Aizen may have believed himself to be untouchable, but he could back up his words, for the most part."

"Yes, like that! There weren't even hints of him having a god-complex!"

"Oh, there were, he just knew how to make sure everyone always looked at something else."

"As a historian, I _must_ ask that you assist me in clearing up the parts of documented history that were muddled by Aizen!" I tossed the thought over in my head with Zangetsu's input.

"When I've got the time, sure. I'm gonna be busy these next three years, so don't expect me all that often."

"You sparing _any_ time to help is already more than enough, Kurosaki-san." Kyoeikokoro dismissed.

"Quite! And if it's not too much to ask, I humbly request that you also assist me in documenting the alternative history you came from!" Donyoku pleaded. Ossan voiced his opinion in my head, with Shiro's agreement.

"Maybe. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, but we need to wipe Aizen's influence out of the Soul Society's history first." I answered.

"Of course!" The green haired man nodded. The rest of the dinner was mostly spent with Donyoku grilling me about events that were vague or wrong through Aizen's manipulation, with the occasional comment from his wife. Shiro brought it to my attention that she only spoke to me, which ticked another box in my head. After finishing desert, we made to leave.

"You are welcome whenever, Ichigo-san!" The Head of the Tsunayashiro Clan announced. I had managed to get it through their heads that I prefer to forgo formalities, but Donyoku still attached –san despite referring to me by my first name.

"Indeed, come as often as you'd like, Ichigo!" On the contrary, his wife had seemed all too eager to comply with my request, which I wouldn't have been suspicious about had she not already ticked an uncomfortable amount of boxes in my head. It was only through my experience deciphering the tells of people like Aizen, Yhwach, Kisuke and Kyoraku that I picked up so many things, and that in of itself ticked a box. Unohana, Yoruichi and I each made our goodbyes before leaving the estate, and a scowl fell upon my face as soon as I was sure the Tsunayashiro's couldn't see it.

"Is something wrong, Ichigo?" Yoruichi picked up instantly.

"There's something about those two that's just…off." I warned.

"Standard noble trickery, perhaps?" Unohana suggested. I shook my head.

"No. Like I said, Kyoraku and Byakuya taught me all the noble tricks. If it was that, I would've had us leave immediately. There's something else. Their behavior, both of them, was suspicious."

"I can maybe see the wife, _maybe_ , as hitting on you or something, but the husband seemed alright, if a little understandably excited." The werecat linked her fingers behind her head.

"I only picked it up because I spent so much time trying to figure out people who perfected the art of manipulating others. Both of them have ulterior motives." My eyes narrowed. "The thing I need to figure out is what those motives are."

An intense horrible feeling manifested in my gut, one that usually warned of something bad coming. It made me worried that I had only ever gotten such an intense gut feeling from Yhwach.

* * *

 _Omake_

 _The Original Blood War, Opening Assault_

With a grunt, Kenpachi ripped his blade out of the dark-skinned man he just killed. The Quincy had an annoying scream that made Kenpachi's ears bleed. Probably was one of those Stern-Writer people the fodder screamed about. The captain didn't give a shit.

"Hey!" The eye-patch wearing man looked up to the source of the sound, seeing a woman with mostly pink hair that shifted to purple on one side. She was wearing the same clothes as the other Quincies, and was standing with her hands at her hips a few meters away. "Are you Kenpachi Zaraki?"

"Yeah." The man grunted, before grinning as he lifted his sword. "Wanna fight?" The woman smirked as she raised an eyebrow, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You sure you want to do that?" Now Kenpachi raised an eyebrow, and felt a weird feeling in his head. Maybe it was confusion. He usually chose to ignore confusion. Why be confused about something when you can just cut it up, he reasoned.

"Why wouldn't I want ta fight?"

"We've captured Kurosaki Ichigo, trapped his friends in Hueco Mundo, and are tearing you guys apart like butter. Kurosaki's always beaten you in fights, hasn't he?" The weird feeling intensified. "If we've captured him, and we're beating everyone else, what makes you so sure that you can beat us? You've barely managed to kill one soldier, and that was one of the weak ones, is your strength enough? Already two of your strongest fighters have been taken out, and sooner or later you'll be against all of us, do you really think you can win in this situation?"

Now he knew he was confused. And he didn't get why he was confused, which was making him more confused. He didn't care about half the shit this woman was saying, but now he couldn't stop thinking about it.

"You can't even use your zanpakuto, what can you even-"

"Yer makin' my head hurt. Fuck off." Before the Quincy could get a single more word out, her head slipped off her neck and her body fell to the ground. "Ugh, cutting you up barely did anything. Maybe finding someone strong will make my head stop hurting. Oi, Yachiru! Show me the way to the strong people!"

"Okay, Kenny!" The pink haired girl cheered as she hopped down from wherever she was watching the fight from. Kenpachi stopped caring about where she went as soon as he felt she was out of the blast zone. He didn't know how he could always tell, but he didn't care enough to question it.

* * *

 ***Boombo: For those of you that didn't understand the name, it's the words Boom and Bimbo mixed together.**

 **Also, I have received many questions about how the story is going to progress, and how things that I've hinted at will come into play, to which I'd like to remind you all: in the last chapter, I announced that I have the next 20 chapters, not including filler, planned out. If there is a hint to something, if there isn't, or even if you notice something, I likely put that there on purpose. Sure, like I alluded to through Ichigo's explanation, I don't have EVERYTHING planned out, but I am almost there.**


	11. Igniting the Fire

**Sup everyone! This fic is about to EARN it's M rating, in every way it knows how, so this is your only in-story warning! Enjoy the show!**

I woke up to a morning so perfect that a chill went down my spine. Sure, I only slept maybe four hours, but it was a blissful four hours without nightmares. My bed was warm, and I recognized that both Yoruichi and Unohana were under the covers with me. Unohana had joined me in my bed last night, despite my mild protests, and the werecat probably just found her way there. As per usual when either was in my bed, my arms were around them as their heads rested on my chest. The goddess of flash had her arms around my stomach, and the First Kenpachi had an arm holding both of us in her embrace. We each were clad in our sleepwear: Me in sweatpants, my tank top having been discarded at my nurse's request. Yoruichi had stolen my tank top, and was most likely _only_ wearing it. Unohana was _not wearing her nightgown._ She was naked. I'm sure she waited until I was asleep to strip. I did my best to ignore her state of dress, and failed miserably as she shifted in her sleep and rubbed her body against my side. Focusing on the ceiling above me didn't help anything. The raven haired medic's right leg swung over mine and I distinctly felt that she was indeed not wearing anything. Realizing laughter was not bouncing around my head, I thanked the Soul King that Shiro was asleep. It made my predicament ever so slightly less stressful. Then I realized I was not getting any wise advice either, and cursed the man out because Ossan was asleep too.

My breath hitched, and my train of thought came to a screeching halt as a soft hand glided over my clothed erection. My brown eyes shot down to lock with amused and sadistic blue.

"And what do we have _here~_ " My nurse sultrily whispered as she slowly slid her hand along my sweat-pant clad member. I gulped and my eyes flicked to the still dozing Yoruichi. I felt a brief moment of relief as Unohana's hand left only for my stress to come flooding back in as her hand passed under my waistband and grabbed me directly. The blanket was tossed away to only cover our feet and ankles, before her other hand came up to my left cheek and turned me to lock eyes with her again. I stifled a groan as she pulled my member out of my sweatpants, somehow managing to not change her rhythm at all as she pumped me. It was hell restraining myself as she made a show of opening her mouth and dragging her tongue across her lips in the sauciest way I had ever seen. Slowly and erotically, she leaned down and kissed my right nipple as she pressed herself as completely as she could to my side and slid down. Her soft breasts mashed against my torso, and I felt her nipples scrape down my body as I tried to ignore her wet pussy sliding down my thigh. I grunted and my hand twitched with the effort to not give in to her as she licked and kissed damn near every fiber of muscle she passed as she trailed down towards my crotch. It was so difficult to not give in that I couldn't even muster enough in me to get her to stop, and I could see it in her eyes that she knew it.

She reached my dick, hummed in approval at my baldness, and then erotically slid her hand up as she licked the base. Pre-cum leaked from my tip, and saliva coated the bottom as she took measure to trail her tongue over every inch she could going up. As my member slowly became covered in more and more fluids, her hand pumped me in increasingly smoother strokes. She even took advantage of the fact that her fingers couldn't go all the way around to lick and stroke in reverse directions, her hand coming down and passing her tongue as she slid it up. Her lust-filled eyes were locked onto mine the whole time, and it simultaneously made everything better and worse. Her right hand, which had been holding my cheek this whole time, suddenly moved, and Unohana made sure I watched it. It ghosted down my body, her fingertips brushing against my muscles and going past my thigh, before switching bodies to rest against her collarbone and teasingly dancing down. As she passed her right boob, she groped it, massaging the breast and pinching her pink nipple before twisting and pulling it every which way. She made a show of moaning softly, beckoning me to grope and mold her tits like she was doing to herself. When she let go, her nipple was slightly red and noticeably stiff. Then she slid her hand down her stomach, aiming towards her vagina before suddenly sliding it around to her backside to flatten itself against her ass. She raised it a few inches before slapping it down, a wonderfully seductive sound erupting from her action. Her hand groped her ass, making sure I could see how doughy it was, before she finally slid the hand between her thighs. She stuck the hand deeply into her core, and let out a moan so erotic and sultry that I shuddered. Yoruichi wiggled a little in her sleep at the arousing sound, and my eyes snapped to her in panic, only for them to widen as the situation got worse. The wiggling caused my tank top to slide on her body, one of her pink nipples sliding out as the hem of the shirt rode up her hips slightly, her pussy playing peak-a-boo as she shifted.

My attention was forced back to Unohana as I felt her mouth latch onto my balls. Her eyes trapped mine again as she pumped my shaft, wet with fluids, rhythmically and erotically. The sight of her fingers teasing my glans and her thumb rubbing my frenulum whenever her hand reached the tip pleasured me as much as the actions themselves did, and I barely suppressed a groan. All the while, her lips massaged my sack as her tongue worked wonders on my balls. I _felt_ her smirk against my sack before she crawled between my legs. I gulped in anticipation of what she was planning, and watched with suspense as she let go of my balls with a painfully arousing sigh. Her eyes swirled with lust as she opened her mouth wide, stuck her tongue out as far as it could go, and dragged it up from the base of my cock to the tip in one of the most erotic displays she had ever done. I couldn't look away as her pink organ swirled around my tip a few times before she dropped her head an inch and sealed her lips around my glans. It was too much. A moan escaped my throat. Once again, Yoruichi moved in her sleep, only this time, the movement was accompanied by a light moan. A smile teased her mouth as her tongue peaked out to lick her lips. Her left tit, the one who's nipple had escaped my tank top, fully slid out of the garment as my shirt rode up to reveal her hairless vagina in all its glory. From my position, I also had a great view of her ass, and I felt cracks form in my resolve.

Soft, erotic gags filled the otherwise silent room, originating from Unohana's throat. My eye twitched in pleasure as I looked down to see her head bobbing up and down. Her eyes had not trailed from my face. It was so incredibly sexy that I nearly missed her hand lifting itself from my dick before going down between her legs as she raised her lower half up to her knees, proudly showing off her own amazing bottom. With ease that lied about how difficult the action truly was, she continued bobbing her head, going down an extra centimeter or two every time her head fell. The gagging only increased in volume and sensuality, and I had to bite back another moan as I felt her start humming as my member entered her throat. When she dropped down and swallowed my cock in its entirety, it was so erotic and pleasuring that I was startled by Yoruichi mewling in pleasure.

I looked over to the mocha skinned goddess again, quickly seeing that her naked nipple glistened with wetness. Confusion danced around my consciousness before I caught Unohana's right hand between the ex-captain's legs, two fingers pumping in and out of her pussy furiously as her thumb rubbed the dark skinned woman's clit mercilessly. The First Kenpachi moaned, sensual and erotic as possible, my dick still completely sheathed in her throat. I couldn't stop my right hand from snapping out and palming the back of the raven haired woman's head, and I sighed as I felt the corners of her mouth turn up in a smirk. Her tongue began weaving around my shaft, massaging it, and my eyes snapped open to watch her as she slowly pulled my cock from her mouth, moaning against my member the whole while. She stopped right before my tip slipped out from between her lips, my dick glistening with her saliva in the morning light. She winked, her blue eyes nothing but pools of pure arousal, right before her head dropped to swallow every inch in one go. Something warm and soft, but firm filled my left hand, and my breath hitched in a combination of Unohana's actions and my realization that I accidentally palmed Yoruichi's ass. The ex-captain sighed in her sleep and her left leg slid over mine so that my nurse could get better access to her cunt. And the medic took the given opportunity. I saw the werecat's body twitch as Unohana pleasured her even more. Her fingers went deeper into the mocha skinned goddess's pussy, pumped faster, harder, and scissored while the raven haired captain's thumb played with Yoruichi's clit to the point of nearing punishment.

The goddess of flash was left panting and moaning in her sleep as her hand unconsciously groped her uncovered breast and her hips rolled with the movements of the hand bringing her to orgasm. Unohana's head bounced on my dick at an equally furious pace to her ministrations with the dark skinned woman's pussy, taking everything in with every stroke. It was nearly painful sucking in my groans, grunts, and moans of pleasure, but I couldn't do anything else outside of giving in. Without warning, a long and arousing moan escaped Yoruichi's throat as her body spasmed violently in an action I recognized was her achieving orgasm. It was confirmed through the raven haired medic pulling her hand out of the ex-captain's cunt with a wet sound that was unfairly erotic, glistening with the mocha skinned woman's juices. This was soon followed by Unohana grunting on my dick, swallowing my cock violently, and making mind-numbingly seductive gagging noises before she moaned deeply. Her hips twitched in orgasm a couple times before stilling, and her eyes cleared minutely before she continued deep-throating me. My head fell back against the pillow, and I gasped.

"Uno…hana!" I grunted, barely keeping my voice down. She took that as encouragement, increasing both her pace and the sensuality of her gagging. I gripped the back of her head and forced it down as my hips lifted off the futon, and I came down her throat. Her eyes rolled back a little and she moaned appreciatively as shot after shot coated the inside of her throat and mouth white. Once I finished, I let go of her and lowered my hips, my still hard member leaving her throat. She sat there gasping for a moment while I focused on calming myself so I didn't continue.

"My, my." It seems she was having none of it. "Although I am certainly curious to learn how long you can go, you sadly have a spar you must get to soon." I blinked. Did she just let me off the hook for now? When we both knew I was maybe a shoulder bump away from saying 'fuck it' and taking her? I looked at her, and met her eyes again as I watched her individually suck each of her glistening fingers clean in the most seductive way she could. Never mind. She was taunting me. She wanted me to cross my self-imposed line on my own. I sighed and let my head drop again as I closed my eyes. My blood was cooling down enough that I could think clearly again. I was given barely a moment before I felt a pair of lips encircle the head of my dick. I opened my eyes and looked down at my nurse again, who released my member to speak.

"I'm simply cleaning it off." A dangerous smirk grew on her face. "Unless you want to continue. I wouldn't mind if you decided to return the favor~." I recognized the irreversible damage that had been done to my resolve as soon as I let my head flop back down so she could continue with what she had been doing. She decided to be merciful and be quick and efficient in cleaning me off. Or maybe she was playing the long game and wanted to steadily break my resolve until I gave in. Really could be either one. She licked her lips clean as she sat up, her breasts bouncing slightly. I carefully slid out from Yoruichi and tucked my member back in my sweatpants before fixing her clothes (ignoring the wet stain near her crotch). I got off the futon and threw the blanket over the werecat and made sure she was comfortable. After, I got up and stretched before heading to the kitchen as Unohana stood before her closet. Following routine, I started a pot of coffee and grabbed some ingredients for a meal.

'' **Ey, King.** ' I grunted in response. ' **Did ya jack off or somethin' while we were sleepin'?** '

'… _Why?_ '

' **Cause there's a rainbow in 'ere, and those only pop up when ya get off.** ' Despite being fully aware he could not perform such feats, I became confident that the Soul King watched my daily life for entertainment and made things happen to give himself a laugh. My evidence was Unohana walking into the kitchen the moment Shiro finished speaking in my mind, wearing my shihakusho again, only she hadn't bothered to close it. ' **Please tell me you did what I hope you did. Or more accurately,** _ **who**_ **you did.** '

'… _She gave me a blowjob while she fingered herself and Yoruichi. While Yoruichi was still asleep._ '

' **Why the fuck didn' ya keep goin'?** '

' _Would you rather I fuck Unohana and maybe Yoruichi, or fight Yama?_ ' The zanpakuto didn't answer. He was never able to make a choice between sex and fighting. Content that my hollow would remain silent until something else popped up, I cooked some rice. The raven haired medic with me leaned back against the kitchen counter, crossing her arms under her bust as she smirked at me. My shihakusho only covered her left breast, the other side had slipped away, and she was in no hurry to fix it. I glanced back at her for a moment, but once I understood she was happy to continue the silence, I returned my gaze to the breakfast I was making. In a word, the atmosphere of the room could be summarized as 'content'. The food was easy and quick to make. The coffee was finishing up. Unohana was staring at nothing with a smile that was somewhere between satisfied and eager. I was mostly still asleep, with only the food and my nurse's presence being things I was fully aware of. Ignoring the fact that I hadn't-entirely-consented to the events that just occurred, it was as perfect a morning as could be.

' **Oi, King.** ' I raised an eyebrow, silently prompting the spirit to continue. ' **Why did ya say that Unohana gave ya a blowjob?** '

'…' _Cause she did?_ '

' **No. She throated ya, is what she did. That wasn't a blowjob.** '

' _Why are you hung up on it?_ '

' **I wanted ta talk about somethin', but I couldn' think of anythin' else that wasn' serious.** '

' _What about the calendar thing?_ '

' **I guess it'll work. What months do ya think they'll have ya cover?** ' I mentally shrugged.

' _October, maybe? My hair kinda fits with the theme._ '

' **I can see it. November could work. That's got an orange theme.** '

' _Well, orange is more like a Fall theme, now that I think about it. Any of the Fall months would work._ '

' **They might have ya cover multiple months. Yer famous right now, an' the girls said they were goin fer female buyers. It'd be a good idea ta have ya on multiple covers.** '

' _Seems like something that would make sense. You think that if they had me cover an entire season, they would have other Shinigami covering entire seasons?_ '

' **Depends on if they manage ta get some o' the more sought after guys ta agree. Prick would definitely be an 'entire season' pick. He could be Winter. Flowers maybe could take over Summer. Dunno about Spring, though.** '

'Ukitake, perhaps. He extrudes a gentle aura synonymous with Spring.'

' **Wouldn' a lotta girls be turned off by the sick guy part?** '

' _Eh, he's got some muscle on him. I'm sure the more tech savvy members of the SWA could use some editing magic to make him look less 'about to die'-y._ ' Shiro grunted in acceptance.

'It's possible, especially so due to Unohana and Yoruichi being in the SWA, that you would completely take over the calendar.'

'… _I can see that. If they do, I'm demanding more pay._ ' The food finished, and I set the table, the First Kenpachi taking a seat while finally fixing her attire. The raven haired woman held a cup of steaming tea in her hands, and sipped it elegantly. We sat next to each other, and I added some milk to my coffee at my nurse's request.

"Adding flavor to your meals is a good start to easing you out of your war mentality. Helps separate you from the feel of eating out of necessity." She explained. I hummed in interest and appreciation before grabbing some soy sauce and pouring a small amount over my rice. I raised my cup to my lips and took a sip. The difference in flavor was nice. A satisfied sigh filled the room as Yoruichi walked in, stretching her arms over her head with her eyes closed and a smile on her face. She was still only wearing my tank top, which came down to her mid-thigh since she was standing.

"Anyone else have a great night's sleep?" The chocolate skinned goddess asked. I continued drinking my coffee as I silently nodded.

"Indeed." Unohana smiled. "You could say I woke up feeling orgasmic." I choked on my drink. Without bothering to turn her head away from the werecat, my nurse patted me on the back as I coughed. Luckily, I managed to save my coffee by placing it on the table.

"Oh~? Is Ichi-kun getting all flustered by orgasms~?" The purple-haired woman teased. A small part of me was thankful that I was still coughing. A significantly larger part of me was grateful that she hadn't appeared to notice the wet stain on the front of her-my-shirt. The ex-captain shook her head. "Still don't understand how you've slept with _two_ people and _still_ turn strawberry at the mention of sex stuff." She mumbled before taking a seat next to me and making a plate three times the size of Unohana's and mine combined. Once I recovered, I ate a mouthful of rice, smiling softly at the extra flavor. I took a glance at Yoruichi's plate, already halfway gone, and remembered a time in which I was able to eat like that. A frown formed at how distant the memory seemed to be, before I cheered myself up with the thought that I would be able to again.

There was no war. There was no constant fear of an enemy appearing at any given moment. I didn't have to forgo actually living in favor of being a machine. I could spare the time to enjoy things. My smile returned and I downed another mouthful, taking the time to savor the taste.

I found I could take another bite. As well as a fourth. I felt the air grow warmer, and I glanced up to see both women grinning at me. They didn't need to say they were happy seeing me eat double my normal amount, I could see it in their eyes. I took another sip of my coffee, and sighed at the flavor. Once we finished eating, we all got dressed, and the armor and clothing I had gotten from Senjumaru had never felt as comfortable. When we left, I took a cup of coffee with me. With the sun already turning the sky purple and red, we journeyed towards Sokyoku Hill. Zangetsu manifested with us, Shiro smiling appreciatively as his hands slipped into his pockets and Ossan's lips curling up at the edges as his features softened. Yoruichi climbed onto my shoulders and toyed with my hair as Unohana claimed my empty left hand. I thought about slipping my hand out of her hold, then decided I didn't care about restraining myself right now. I entangled my fingers with hers, earning a beautiful smile from her that was heightened by the glow of the rising sun.

We found ourselves atop the Hill before we really realized it. The Captain of the 4th Division nodded for me to take the lead, so I handed her my half-empty cup. Curiosity dancing in her eyes, she took it and watched as I lifted Yoruichi from my shoulders. I sat down with my left knee up and my right leg spread out in front of me, and lowered the werecat so she was seated at my right. She leaned into my side with her legs folded under her, and I pat the ground to my left for Unohana to join. She did, resting her head against my left shoulder, and my left arm wrapped around her as she returned my coffee to my right hand. Shiro came forward and curled up with his head in Yoruichi's lap and his back to my leg. The woman's eyes shined and she reached out to pass her fingers through his bleached hair. He made a noise similar to a purr. Old Man stood behind me, and I leaned back into his legs.

The sun was rising before us, and once again, I couldn't help but smile as the unforgettable sight returned. I inhaled slowly and deeply, held it in for just a moment, and let it out just as slowly.

"This habit you wish to form," My nurse spoke up. "Is one I believe the whole of the Seireitei should partake in." She finished her statement with a tranquil exhale.

"Yeah." I breathed.

"Especially with the training we're all going to go through." The ex-captain nodded against my side.

We stayed until the stars disappeared, and yellow overtook the sky. Shiro was the first to move, sitting up with half-lidded eyes as he reached up to scratch his head before slapping his hand down. Whenever someone played with his hair, he usually tried to keep it how they left it for as long as possible. Yoruichi and Unohana were the next to move, standing and stretching their legs lightly as I hopped to my feet. Ossan returned to my Inner World as Shiro climbed to a stand. I raised an eyebrow.

" **I'm spendin' the day with Witch.** " The hollow announced. I smiled and patted his shoulder to wish him luck. Unlike last time, Shiro had a bit of a hurdle to overcome before he became friends with her. He nodded before walking off. Sure, he didn't care about whether most Shinigami were afraid of him or not, but he didn't want people setting off alarms or attacking him when he just wanted to talk to someone.

"So, what are we doing?" The werecat asked.

"I'm about to help out Yamamoto, you two can do whatever."

"I'm interested to see your Bankai." My nurse announced, to Yoruichi's nod of agreement. I blinked before sighing.

"You can stay to see the release, but you'll have to leave once the fighting starts. No offense to either of you, but it takes a lot of power to be around me when I'm fighting in Bankai. Even if you two got twice as strong, you wouldn't be able to stay standing when I unleash an attack."

"Then we'll just admire you from afar." The ex-captain grinned.

"When I said 'you'll have to leave', I meant leave the Muken." I clarified. "Sure, I'm not going to be releasing anything all that powerful for a while, but the dimension is gonna be unstable just from he and I being in Bankai. I'll be limiting the spars between us to once a week just to give the Muken enough time to pull itself back together." The eyes of the two women before me widened. They exchanged a glance.

"We'll…wait outside, then?" The head of the Shihoin clan asked. I nodded.

"That'll work."

"Great!" The werecat grinned. "Now, what does your Bankai _do_?"

"I'll explain once Yama is there to hear it."

"Aww, fine. Let's hurry then!" The goddess of flash urged as she went behind me and pushed against my back. Unohana giggled when she saw I wasn't moving. I chuckled before stepping forth in Shunpo. The two immediately followed, and we appeared in front of Yamamoto's office just as Chojiro opened the doors, holding a pot of tea.

"Ah, Kurosaki-san, Unohana-taicho, Shihoin-san! Yamamoto-soutaicho is waiting."

"Great." I smiled before helping the white-haired man into the office. Just as the lieutenant informed us, the Head Captain was on his feet, staring out at the Soul Society with his haori folded next to his desk and his sheathed sword in his hand for all to see. He turned to us, more specifically me, as we walked in. He glanced at Yoruichi and Unohana for only a moment.

"Come. The guards to the Muken are waiting for us." He announced before taking a step towards us.

"We'll Shunpo there." I spoke up. "It'll be the only warm-up you'll get before we start." The bearded captain glared at me for a moment, before slowly nodding his head in acceptance.

We were off, Yoruichi right behind me with Yamamoto a little ways behind her and Unohana a hair slower than he. We startled the guards when we appeared before them without warning.

"Open it." The ancient captain ordered as he freed his zanpakuto from its sheath. Instantly, the room grew warm from the excitement of the sword, eager to finally be used in battle after so long. The doors opened, and we entered. Yamamoto lagged behind only because he had one of the guards hold his sheath for him. The women with us looked around.

"Huh. I kinda pictured it more hellish." The werecat hummed.

"Like fire and brimstone hellish or actual Hell hellish?" I asked.

"Fire and brimstone." She confirmed. I passed my eyes over the environment.

"I can see it."

"We are here to spar, not socialize." Yamamoto growled as he walked past us. I rolled my eyes.

"Hold on a sec." The man looked at me over his shoulder. "Yoruichi and Unohana are just here to see my Bankai and leave, so let me explain what it does." Grunting, he turned around to face me as the women focused on me.

"You know the power of my Shikai." I started. "I can use the basic powers of Shinigami, Hollows, and Quincy. In my Bankai, I can combine those techniques, which increase in power multiplicatively. I also gain access to the Quincy and Arrancar variants of Bankai, being Vollstandig and Resurreccion respectively. Until I think you're ready for them, I won't be using any combined attacks or secondary forms."

"That's…basic, but _really_ powerful." The mocha skinned goddess gaped.

"My zanpakuto in a nutshell." I monotoned. I drew my blade, and held it out in front of me in a kendo stance. "Get ready, my Bankai release is a lot more explosive than my Shikai."

The Head Captain prepared the best, by stabbing the tip of Ryujin Jakka into the ground. Unohana and Yoruichi grabbed onto each other and kneeled to the ground. Seeing that would be the best they could do in the current circumstances, I closed my eyes. I sucked in a breath and let it out, feeling Zangetsu's excitement at being fully released fill my body. My eyes snapped open, glowing with a swirl of black, blue, and red reiatsu.

" _Bankai._ " I whispered. The energy contained within my body exploded out in a tidal wave, swallowing the trio in front of me and sending the women skidding backwards from the sheer force. Yama fared better, but he was still pushed back a couple feet. A couple rock formations in my immediate vicinity disintegrated instantly, and some a few feet away cracked and fell over. The released energy swirled around in a massive tornado of black, red, and blue as my blade transformed, combining into otherworldly black and vicious purple. Once my weapon stabilized, I brought it back, the chain rattling a little before I swiped my blade forward. The resulting force was enough to expel the tornado of reiatsu and reveal my form to those before me. Unlike my false Bankai, my real Bankai did not transform my clothes. Only my blade changed, and it became even larger than my false Shikai blade. If I were to stand it up at the tip, it would probably prove to be taller than I. The handle was solid black and almost as long as my arm, and the center of the blade was black. White formed the edge, which not only extended past the blade to cover the hilt, but also looped around the back. A black chain extended from the back of the point of the blade to the bottom of the extension in front of the handle. " _Tensa Zangetsu._ "

"…Whoa." Yoruichi breathed. "That was _some_ release." I raised the blade to rest it on my shoulder. The weapon was as wide as my torso, so it remained where I rested it with minor difficulty. It was meant to annihilate anything and everything I deemed a threat, so it was understandable that it wasn't the most comfortable on my shoulder.

"Yup. Now hurry on out." I ordered. They did as told, leaving quickly. Yamamoto and I watched each other until the doors to the Muken shut. As the sound echoed through the realm, the ancient captain leveled his blade at me.

" _Bankai._ " His release was just as powerful as mine, a wave of incredible heat washing over the realm. Immediately, my nose and throat burned as the heated air passed through them. I got cotton mouth, despite the fact that I hadn't even parted my lips. I had to blink my eyes a few times before I became accustomed to the sudden dryness. The ground around him became covered in soot, and I saw a couple broken rocks from my release catch fire. It was a work of art, seeing soot form along his blade from cross guard to point as smoke began to billow out from the blade. " _Zanka No Tachi._ I am ready for you, Kurosaki." I snorted, which was really uncomfortable due to my nostrils burning from the heat.

"No you're not." I slid my blade off my shoulder, purposely slamming it down on the ground. A small crater formed, and cracks spread across the ground just out of its radius. The bearded captain's eyes snapped to the damage before returning to me.

"Surely you know me well enough to understand intimidation is useless."

"Who said that was intimidation?" I asked.

"What else could it be?" He grumbled. I smirked.

"The starting bell." I brought my right foot forward, dragging my Bankai behind me for a moment before I swung upwards. " _Getsuga Tensho._ " The fire-wielder's eyes widened before he Shunpo'ed to the right of the wall of black. Once he got his footing, he brought his blade up in a horizontal slash.

" _Zanka no Tachi, North: Tenchi Kaijin._ " A grin formed on my face as I dropped my sword arm. The wave of pure unmatched heat hit me full force, and the ancient captain blinked at my seeming stupidity. Everything from my collarbone to my waist incinerated, but before the Head Captain even began to process that fact, I activated my _High-Speed Ransotengai_. Strings of blue shot out from my body to connect them all as bone, muscle, organs and nerves erupted from my neck, waist, and forearms. Before Yamamoto's arm stopped moving from performing his _North_ technique, I was already back in pristine condition. Well, except for my clothes, but those would fix themselves if given enough time. Shock filled my sparring partner's face as he processed everything that just happened.

"I mentioned that you are the only one in the Soul Society that I would need to use my Bankai against." As happy as seeing Yamamoto that shocked got me, I had to steel myself to continue with his training. "The reason for that, the _only_ reason, is because my regeneration in Shikai can't keep up with your ability to incinerate shit. If it weren't for that, I would be taking you on with my Shikai so I wouldn't run the risk of accidentally killing you."

"You wield that much destructive power?" The ancient captain inquired. I began sauntering towards him.

"In short, yes." Black reiatsu rippled off my blade as I held it with both hands like an executioner would his axe. "Now try not to die." I disappeared in my special Shunido technique. I reappeared above him with Tensa Zangetsu raised over my head. He barely dodged, and would've retaliated had I not set off a Getsuga into the ground. My immediate vicinity exploded with ebony energy and my opponent was sent flying away with his left arm protecting his eyes from debris. I didn't give him a moment to breath, shooting off after him with more reiatsu forming a trail behind me. I slashed diagonally and he twisted out of the way only for my right leg to swing out at his side. I was moving fast enough for the hit to connect, but I watched in slow motion as the skin of my leg blackened, crisped, and flaked away, followed by my muscle and then bone. Time sped up again as Yamamoto was tossed away and my leg fully reformed almost as soon as it was out of the heat field permanently hanging around the Head Captain in his Bankai. I let go with my left hand to pat away the flames that burst into existence along my pant leg. My hand returned and I swung out, a violet blast erupting from my Bankai.

" _Cero!_ " It was as wide as a full-powered Gran Rey Cero in Shikai, and was just as, if not faster than the attack in question. My opponent was swallowed up near-instantly.

" _Zanka no Tachi, North: Tenchi Kaijin!_ " A wave of heat cut through my cero heading for me, and I ducked under it before launching forward with violet reiatsu soaking my blade. Once the bearded captain, covered in marks from my attacks, was a few meters away, I stomped my left foot to keep me from moving forward and stabbed my monstrous blade forward.

" _Licht Regen!_ " A hurricane of indigo arrows so densely packed together it formed a wall shot out of my blade for Yamamoto, who darted to the left as fast as he could. He got out of the way of most of the torrent, but a few arrows managed to leave gashes on his back and arms. He brought his charred blade in front of him and wrapped both hands around the hilt before slashing wildly in my direction, sending near-invisible scythes of heat flying towards me. Without hesitation, I charged at them. Black wreathed my Bankai as blade upon blade of pure heat tore through me, leaving gaping holes as they cut through my body that closed before blood even got a chance to spill. There was no pain, through a combination of the heat burning my nerves away and the wounds healing so quickly that there was no chance for pain to register.

I was before the ancient captain in no time, and we sliced at each other simultaneously. He cut from my left hip to the right side of my head, through my rising left forearm. Everything close to the cut turned to ash, only for the ash to be pushed out of the way as strings of blue, slivers of bone, and fibers of muscle reached out and knitted together behind the strike. It was weird missing my right eye for half a second. It was almost like winking with my right eye, but if I lost sensation in my eye while doing so. Tensa Zangetsu rose up and cut into Yamamoto's left side, but only went a few inches deep before the old man retreated. It was difficult to properly chase him while still striking because he had severed my left wrist from the rest of my arm, making me lose a lot of power and precision. Which was fine, because I made up the difference with my typical excessive reiatsu.

" _Getsuga Tensho!_ " Still a little off-balance, I was sent skidding back as black energy fired out from my blade like a firehose. I still hit the bearded captain, however. He was sent tumbling back, and raised himself into a kneel as smoke rose from his bleeding body.

"You fight recklessly." He growled, panting. I shook my left hand before flexing it to make sure everything was working properly. Luckily it was, so I didn't have to remake the cut so it could heal correctly.

"That's not recklessness." I explained. "Especially against opponents more skilled than I, bulldozing through attacks is a good way to catch someone off guard. You'd be amazed how much people plan around their enemy dodging." He grunted in what seemed like appreciation of my strategy. We both stood without further conversation before continuing with the spar. It was relieving to in some sense be able to let loose, by not having to fear for my sparring partner's health whenever I released a reiatsu attack, even if I did have to limit what attacks I used. I'm sure it was also relieving for Yamamoto, to be able to let loose everything he had without having to spare any mind to questioning if I could take it.

I lunged at him. He dodged to the left of my downwards slash and was thoroughly caught off guard when my hand speared out to palm his face (which started to feel really weird as my muscles burned away) before chucking him as far as I could. I allowed my Bankai to trail behind me as I launched after him, holding my smoking left hand out as skin grew back over. The weirdest part of regenerating hands and feet was definitely the feeling when my nails came back. It was just uncomfortable. I Shunido'ed in front of the ancient captain, who instinctively struck out with Zanka no Tachi as Tensa Zangetsu rushed forward. There was an eruption of smoke as the blades collided and the metal screamed against each other from the heat. We both retreated instantly, him cradling one of his ears while I just waited for mine to heal. I reached out with my reiatsu sense, and could've sworn his was higher than normal. Only one way to find out.

"Here's your first test, Yama!" I shouted, shifting to a wide stance with Tensa Zangetsu behind me for an upwards slash.

"Send it at me, Kurosaki! I shall best it!" By the wide grin on his face, I'd say he certainly felt like he shook some of the rust off. Black and violet reiatsu coated my blade excitedly, and I shouted out the name of the attack as I brought forth my Bankai.

" _Getsuga Cero!_ " A wave of ebony and indigo screamed out of my weapon with the power of a nuclear warhead. Any and all rock formations in its path were erased by the reiatsu. A trench as wide and deep as a city block formed in the wake of the tsunami of destruction. Gale force winds whipped at me, strong enough to leave lacerations on my body that healed instantly. The already insanely high temperature skyrocketed in response.

" _Zanka no Tachi, North: TENCHI KAIJIN!_ " Mountains, boulders, large outcroppings of rock that flanked us were all incinerated above shoulder level by an intense slash of unrivaled heat. It clashed against the tidal wave of energy so violently that an explosion great enough to eradicate a major city erupted. I was sent flying due to the sheer force but managed to correct myself and land on my feet without any issue and a smile splitting my face. He certainly wasn't at the level to leave Yhwach in some sort of Quincy super-coma, but he definitely was stronger than I had ever seen him. I laughed and brought Tensa Zangetsu up to rest on my shoulder again.

"That's all for today!" I shouted, using my left hand to cup my mouth. I realized that my body was covered in soot and ash. "Looks like we've already got some progress on shaking the rust off!"

"Then we will continue this exercise some other time." The wielder of Ryujin Jakka announced as he Shunpo'ed over to me. I nodded as we both sealed our zanpakuto.

"We'll do it once a week, to give Muken enough time to pull itself back together. In the meantime, I need some water and a bath." I breathed out. The bearded man looked down at himself, finding his shihakusho was hanging in taters on his body and his hakama were barely better. Like me, soot covered his body, unable to be washed away by our sweat because it was too hot _to_ sweat.

"As do I, it seems. I am grateful to find an opponent like you. I can relieve the stress of being Head Captain upon you without repercussion."

"The fuck you mean 'without repercussion'? You use me like a stress ball, and I use you right back, you got that?" I snapped.

"All the better." The ancient captain chuckled. "It would be boring to have a practice dummy that doesn't hit back."

"Oi, this shit's the other way around! I'm the one that has to hold back so I don't accidentally break you!" He laughed heartily.

"It seems my years are coming back to me just as my skill and power is!"

"Don't ignore me! I can still Getsuga your ass!" Although I was outwardly angry, I was inwardly laughing right along with him. We continued our light banter until we reached the door, and by then, my right pant leg had regrown back down to just below my knee. It would be at least another half hour before I could even attempt to slip on my shihakusho, almost all of it having been burned away in the beginning of the spar. I pounded my fist against the door as a form of knocking, and they were quickly pulled open. Yoruichi, Unohana, and the guards all gaped in shock at Yamamoto's and I's appearances.

"…What happened to your clothes?" My nurse asked.

"Oh, Yamamoto incinerated my torso." One of the guards fell on his ass in shock.

"And your pants?" Yoruichi questioned.

"Oh, I kicked him, and it burned away my leg up to my thigh."

"H-how…?" One of the guards still standing whispered.

"Um, my Bankai lets me heal from nearly anything, and Yamamoto's Bankai can incinerate nearly anything."

"Y-you made the Head Captain use Bankai…?" A third guard asked.

"You should be more shocked that _he_ managed to make _me_ use Bankai." I corrected.

"Ichigo, your strength is still mostly an unknown in the Soul Society." Unohana reasoned.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." I realized. "Onto more important matters, I really need a shower and some water."

"I will assist you." The raven haired medic declared.

"Can I join?" The werecat queried.

"…Sure." I shrugged.

"Yes!" The mocha skinned goddess cheered.

* * *

 **So, Ichigo's Bankai, or at least my version of it, has been revealed! Tell me of your thoughts, on his power, on the fight, the beginning of the chapter even! Starting this chap, I'm gonna start leaving the name of the next chapter in these post-chapter notes, so let's see if you can guess what's up next! This week might be a little easy to guess, though…**

 **Next:** _ **Casting off the Illusion**_


	12. Casting off the Illusion

***Laughs nervously* Hi. I'm…** _ **real**_ **late. If it's any consolation, I'm gonna try to get chapter 13 out this weekend? Please forgive me?** **IF NOTHING ELSE, PAY ATTENTION TO THE SENTENCE AFTER THIS ONE! This chapter involves some dark subject matter, including depression and self-harm. Just a warning for what's to come, those uninterested in A/N's can skip the rest of this if you want. For everyone still reading this, I'm surprised by most of the people who left reviews about the last chapter. Many of those who left reviews seemed to be under the impression that this version of Ichigo isn't all that good at sword fighting? For those who are confused, Ichigo stated that he basically uses a bum-rush tactic against people more skilled then him while he's in Bankai. To clear things up, he was saying Yamamoto is more skilled than himself, even while rusty, because he has literal thousands of years of experience on him. All of the 'Big Four' captains (Yama, Unohana, Kyoraku, Ukitake) are more skilled than Ichigo. He knows he can't straight-up out-fight them, so he creates his own advantage by rejecting their attempts to control the fight. Hopefully those who read this have a clearer understanding of the spar between Ichigo and Yama last chapter. Now, onto the show!**

* * *

Shiro ignored the fearful looks directed at him from every fodder Shinigami he passed by. Once upon a time, he would've slaughtered them all for looking at him like that. Since the Blood War, he found them too disgusting to pay attention to. Most Shinigami he ignored, knowing them to be self-absorbed assholes that just wanted to be famous or powerful. There were exceptions, though. Like Witch. Most of the lieutenants, actually, but Shiro mostly only gave a shit about Witch. The bleached zanpakuto was calmly sauntering towards the cells in the 4th Division, having asked some fodder where she was minutes ago. He didn't like that she was in the cells. He disliked that he understood why more.

He wasn't anywhere close to her yet, but he already knew she was devastated by the loss of Aizen, even more so because the maniac didn't get a chance to do any fucked up shit this time. She couldn't start to realize that _maybe_ he wasn't this perfect being if she hadn't seen him do anything bad. His faking his death, killing the Central 46, and replacing them was broadcast across the whole of the Seireitei, but Shiro already knew she was in massive denial. If she even believed that he did all those things, the hollow was sure she convinced herself Aizen did it for a good reason. Right now, she'd probably slit her wrists sooner than she would accept that maniac was evil.

A frown formed on the zanpakuto's face, and he started walking faster.

He hardly even had to glance at the zoned-out guard in front of the entrance to get the man to jump and throw the door open. The pale spirit continued on his way, grunting in thanks to the guard. Just because he didn't always use them didn't mean he didn't have manners. Most of the cells the hollow passed were empty, the only exceptions being 4th Division fodder that were cleaning the spaces. The only cell with an actual occupant was at the end of the row. A guard was sitting on a stool next to the door, reading an issue of the _Seireitei Bulletin_. The man had an asauchi strapped to his hip, and it filled Shiro with disgust. The fodder probably didn't even care that he couldn't contact a portion of his fucking _soul_. He was probably content just having a sword and a uniform, so he could go to some shitty bar in the Rukongai and use his status to get women. The zanpakuto shook the thoughts away. Not every piece of fodder was an asshole. King told him regularly to not assume they were.

" **Hey.** " The guard looked up before yelping as he rushed to his feet. His asauchi was drawn. The hollow couldn't call it a sword, not when it was so lifeless and empty. The zanpakuto felt Witch's reiatsu signature twitch inside her cell. " **Calm yer shit. I'm jus' here ta see Momo.** " He didn't like having to use her actual name, both of them really liked it when he called her by the nickname. The zanpakuto decided the guard in front of him was a cunt when the man rushed to open the door to Witch's cell without even asking why. He was the most suspicious looking person in the fucking Seireitei, and leaked hollow reiatsu! He could've been coming to kill her for all the piece of shit knew! And he just opened the fucking door without even asking why! The hollow growled at the man as he entered the cell. The pathetic wimp screamed and ran out of the building. Even more annoyed at the shitty excuse for a guard, the pale spirit rolled his eyes and shut the cell door behind him. The lock slid in place. Eh, he could get King to come and open the door if he didn't end up just cutting the lock in two.

The pale spirit turned to face the empty space that was Witch's cell. There was a mat maybe an inch thick lying in a corner that looked uncomfortably stiff. A toilet sat in a different corner, with no privacy whatsoever. The lieutenant herself was sitting in the middle of the room with her legs folded under her, staring out the window above her. Her hands were folded in her sleeves, and her zanpakuto was nowhere to be found. Probably confiscated. The hollow looked over the room again, searching and hoping he didn't find what he was looking for.

One of the wooden pillars lining the walls had a chunk missing. Shiro desperately wanted that to have been from before Witch was confined to the room, but he couldn't rely on faith. He sniffed the air.

Dammit.

He sighed heavily and walked up in front of her. She didn't outwardly acknowledge him, but he was about to fix that. He sat down with his legs crossed, manifesting his blade in a reverse grip in his right hand. The hollow adjusted his grip on the blade so his fingers were in the gap in the center of the blade. He thoroughly didn't know why that gap was there, but in situations like this, it was useful. The spirit felt Witch's gaze slowly fall down in curiosity of what he was doing, and kept himself from reacting. Grabbing the cloth that made up the hilt, he pulled. He may not understand why he didn't have a normal hilt, but he was grateful the cloth was indefinite. He essentially had an endless amount of gauze for treating the few he cared about.

Biting the bullet-as he was known to do- Shiro reached out and grabbed Witch's right wrist before pulling it towards himself. The action caused her hands to slip out, revealing themselves bloody and holding an equally bloody piece of wood. Before she could react, he stole the spike of wood and tossed it across the room. The zanpakuto then mentally cussed at not having anything to clean her up.

'I shall gather the needed items.' Ossan announced in his head. The hollow nodded in appreciation and the Quincy manifested outside the cell before disappearing in Hirenkyaku. The shock that Witch had found herself in faded, and she tried to jerk her hand out of the zanpakuto's grip.

"Let go of me!"

" **Not until I fix yer wounds.** " Anger formed in the lieutenant's eyes as she tried to climb to her feet. With the grip the hollow had on her hand, she couldn't rise higher than her knees.

"What do you care about my wounds?! You're a hollow! You killed the man I love!"

" **I killed the man that brainwashed ya.** "

"He would never brainwash anyone!"

" **He faked his fukkin** _ **deat'**_ **, and gave ya a lett'r sayin yer** _ **bes' fukkin friend**_ **was the one that killed 'im. An' I can tell he brainwashed ya cause ya believed 'im.** " She froze.

"How do you know about Aizen-sama's letter?"

" **Ya didn' 'ear the rumors?** " Rage flooded her eyes again.

"That you're from the future?! That Aizen-sama started a war that killed thousands of people?! Why would I believe that?! Aizen-sama was the greatest person in all the worlds!" She started slapping him with her free hand.

" **If 'e was so great, why would he send ya after yer bes' friend? If he was fakin' his death, why not tell ya about it? Why not tell ya why? Why would he tell ya an innocent man did 'im in?** " Shiro shouted, easily ignoring her attacks with his Hierro.

"I'm sure he had a good reason!"

" **Wha' about takin' over Central 46? He slaugh'ered 'em all, covered it up, an' ordered Midget's death! All ta get a fukkin rock! He 'ad an army o' hollows waitin' in Hueco Mundo, an' most of 'em jus' wanted ta kill shit! What part o' that screams 'good man'?!** "

"The Central 46 was corrupt and self-centered! Almost everything they did was in service of themselves! Aizen-sama was doing a good thing by replacing them!"

" **I ain't sayin' the Central 46 were good, but was 'e any different by orderin' an execution ta get** _ **a fukkin rock?!**_ " The hollow rose to his feet, and Witch rose in response, though she nearly had to look straight up due to their closeness and the difference in height. " **In case ya didn' know, everythin' he did was so he could replace the Soul King! The fucker jus' wanted ta remake the world wit' 'im as king!** "

"He would be a great Soul King!" she screamed defiantly. Shiro's yellow eyes burned with emotion.

" **Would a 'great Soul King' rip off a Quincies arm jus' ta find out if they could use their powers wit' one hand?** " He growled quietly. " **Would a 'great Soul King' 'ave his hollows eat a shinigami's leg jus' ta find out if they could Shunpo wit' one leg? Would 'e kill one half of a split soul jus' ta see what would happen? Would 'e manufacture the birth of a kid jus' so he could have his own pet project ta fuck wit'? Would 'e stand 'n watch as 'is subordinates died in front o' 'im?! Would 'e laugh over pe'ples graves?! Let 'is followers sacrifice 'emselves when he could prevent it?! Destroy a city jus' ta test 'is power?! Make pe'ple watch as 'e killed their friends?!** " Witch stared at the spirit in shock.

"Why do you care so much?!" She shouted, before quietly adding: "You're a hollow." His eyes softened, and Ossan appeared behind the lieutenant holding a bottle of water and some disinfectant. Still holding Witch's hand, Shiro slowly sat down, bringing her down with him until both were on the ground. The Quincy placed the items on the ground between them before returning to the sideways city he shared with the hollow.

" **Just cause I'm a hollow don' mean I'm heartless.** " The pale spirit spoke as he let go of his blade and picked up the water bottle. He popped the cap off with his thumb and adjusted his grip on her wrist to a much gentler hold. The Lieutenant blinked in shock, so caught off guard she barely felt the water fall on her arm. " **Not all Shinigami are noble 'n good. Who says all hollows hafta be cruel 'n monstrous?** "

"…but…every hollow I've ever heard of has just wanted to destroy and eat?"

" **Hollows, by definition, are souls that have lost their hearts. They get holes, an' become endlessly hungry 'cause nothin' can make up fer losin' yer heart. But, jus' 'cause a hollow don' know where their heart is don' mean they can't find it again.** " The hollow managed to clear one of the shinigami's wrists of blood, and was now picking up the bottle of disinfectant. " **This's gonna sting.** " He warned before he poured a small amount over her arm. She winced, and the zanpakuto smiled softly for a moment.

" **Of course, jus' cause a hollow finds their heart don't mean they become a good person. Even if they were a good person origin'lly, bein' a hollow, feelin' like that an' survivin' in Hueco Mundo can change someone. I was lucky I became part o' King. He ain't the type ta change if he became a hollow. He'd only eat other hollows, he'd watch over his friends 'n family, he wouldn' attack someone jus' cause they look tasty.** "

"…Were you always like this?" The spirit snorted.

" **Hell nah. I used ta be jus' as hostile as any hollow ya'd find huntin' a plus, with the power of a captain. Then King accepted me, an' I found my heart. I realized I was jus' alone, 'n scared o' bein' rejected. I made friends, an' not just with King.** " A smile formed on Shiro's face. " **I became happy.** "

"…And who were you friends with?" She almost seemed scared of the answer.

" **You.** " The zanpakuto grunted. " **Tits. Knuckles. Pineapple.** "

"I-I don't know who you're talking about." An amused breath escaped the hollow.

" **Che, forgot you don't know my nicknames fer people. Rangiku, Kensei, and Renji.** " The girl stared at the spirt for a moment before covering her mouth with her bloody hand and giggling.

"I can see how you got those nicknames." She realized how dirty her hand was, and lowered it with a saddened look in her eyes. "…What do you call me?" The hollow rose his eyes from inspecting her wrist for a moment before flicking back down.

" **Witch. Yer amazin' at kido, an' yer zanpakuto is kido based.** "

"…Yeah, I can see where you would get 'Witch' from that. I like it. It makes me seem more menacing than I am."

" **Yer plenty menacin'. I've seen ya put more than enough recruits through the ringer ta know that.** " Her eyes widened as he grabbed the cloth from his hilt. " **Aizen spent so much time havin' ya make up fer him while he was gone without ya realizin', ya got pretty damn good at whippin' newbies inta shape. It was fukkin' hilarious every time one o' the rookies fresh outta the Academy would try ta walk over ya 'cause they thought they were hot shit. I used ta sit back and laugh as ya tore inta 'em about how Shinigami life ain't as easy as it looks in the books.** " The happy smile that had formed on the zanpakuto's face fell. " **I miss those days. Layin' around in the sun while ya trained wit' yer squad, playin' pranks on Shortstack-sorry, Toshiro-, hell, ev'n bein' a walkin' clothing rack fer you an' Tits while ya went shoppin'.** " He went silent, and the lieutenant couldn't help but stare with wide eyes and her mouth slightly agape as the hollow carefully bound her hand in cloth.

She watched his hands as they bandaged her hand, before moving onto his face, studying it intensely. He chose not to react. Looking over her arm one more time and confirming it was the best he could do, he let go before switching to her left hand and repeating the process. Sometimes, he hated that he couldn't perform kido. He was only part of King's zanpakuto, so he could only use the parts that he made up. Just like how Ossan could only use Quincy techniques, Shiro could only use hollow. Only King, the Shinigami part of their trifecta, could use Shinigami techniques. Only King could use kaido to heal someone else. Luckily, Zangetsu learned how to fix people up through King's knowledge from Goatchin's clinic and war experience. The process was slightly faster than last time, because she wasn't struggling anymore.

He emptied the rest of the water cleaning her arm, and he mentally made a note to grab a change of clothes for her. She didn't react to the disinfectant this time, which was either a good thing or her being so stunned that she didn't feel the pain. He took just as much time bandaging her arm, because even though he knew the action was muscle memory at this point, he was worried about messing up on her. Once he was done, he let her hand drop and continued staring at the ground between them.

"… **I know what it feels like when the guy that makes up yer world leaves ya.** " Whatever response Witch was going to make froze in her throat. " **When King 'n I first met, I was angry, 'n lonely, 'n stupid. I thought the best way ta make King stronger was ta make him think I was the bad guy. I threatened him, took over his body, haunted his nightmares. He hated me. Every second was hell, but I was doin' it fer him. 'It's gonna make him stronger' I told myself. 'Who cares if he hates me', 'I'm just a hollow', 'this is the best way'. Lies I kept tellin' myself. I couldn't stand it. Every time he shouted that he hated me, that he trained for the sole purpose of drivin' me away, that he kept himself up 'cause he knew he'd see me, it fukkin** _ **hurt**_ **, like nuthin' else. It's a bit of a different situation, but I get wantin' nothin' more than havin' 'em back.** " Tears formed at the corners of Witch's eyes. " **Yer probably gonna hate me, cause I got 'im back an' you can't, but I won't complain. I'll hate it, but I won't complain. Use me like a punching bag, training dummy, door mat, whatever. I'll take-** " She slammed into him and flung her arms around his sides. The hollow blinked in shock, before his eyes widened when his shihakusho started getting wet.

"I can't hate you!" She sobbed. "You understand, if only a little bit!" A relieved smile grew on Shiro's face before he hugged her back, the small woman nearly being swallowed by his inverted clothing. His right hand rubbed her back soothingly and he rested his chin atop her head. She fisted her hands in his clothes, shook in his hold, and screamed into his chest, but he simply continued rubbing her back. She wept for over an hour, and Shiro just held her as she let everything out without complaint. The only time his soothing expression changed was when a guard came in to replace the one that had left. The hollow had glared violently at the newcomer, who immediately retreated out of the building. The zanpakuto only shifted in his position when the woman in his arms paused in her bawling.

He lightly held her shoulders and helped her back into a sitting position, then slid his hands down to hold her wrists. The spirit held up her bandaged wrists up for the lieutenant to see.

" **Hey. I'mma be visitin' ya every day from here on out, so ya better stop doin' this, ya hear? I don't mind fixin' ya up, but I hate seein' ya hurt yerself.** " Witch sniffled and wiped her eyes as she nodded wordlessly. " **Oi, ya better take that seriously, alright? If I see yer hurtin' yerself again, I'mma tie ya in bubble wrap and throw ya over my shoulder.** " Fragments of a giggle fell from her throat before a laugh slowly pieced itself together. The hollow grinned in accomplishment.

"…Thank you, Hollow-kun."

" **Call me Shiro.** " The lieutenant blinked. " **King gave me the name. Boring as fuck, sure, but it's somethin'. And that's what matters.** " Witch smiled in response.

"Then thank you, Shiro." A giggle popped out of her throat. "Never thought I'd see the day where I'm friends with a hollow." A smirk fell upon the zanpakuto's face.

" **Ya better get used to it. Yer gonna be seein' me every day, aft'r all.** " She smiled genuinely, and the hollow couldn't help but smile in response. " **I gotta go. We've got a shitload ta do, and we've just gotten started.** " He explained as he stood. Witch rose with him, before glancing at the locked cell door.

"I hope you don't plan on breaking the door down. The guards might send someone to attack you."

" **Was thinkin' about it.** " The pale spirit admitted. " **I decided not ta.** " The lieutenant with him jumped at the sudden shouts from the guards outside the building. She snapped to him.

"What's happening?"

" **I'm part of a dual-blade zanpakuto. That's my other half grabbin' the keys.** " On cue, Ossan appeared in front of the cell door through Hirenkyaku with a key ring held in his hand. The Quincy spirit silently looked through the dozen keys before taking one and slipping it into the lock with ease. With a soft click, the door was swung open.

"Hello, Hinamori-san. You may call me 'Ossan'." The girl looked between the two spirits for a moment.

"Kurosaki-san isn't good at naming things, is he?"

"Dreadfully so."

" **Fukkin terrible.** " The zanpakuto agreed. The lieutenant smiled softly.

"Then I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" The hollow opened his mouth to answer, before his eyes passed over the inside of the cell once more.

"… **Gimme a sec. I'll be back.** " As confusion dusted the woman's face, Shiro boomed away in Sonido. Thanks in no small part to how familiar he and King were with the Division, it did not take long for the spirit to find what he was looking for. He re-entered the cell promptly, ignoring the knowing look on his Quincy counterpart's face. The confusion that had grown to cover Witch's face was replaced with shock as soon as she realized what he held in his arms. Because of this, she was left to stare as he sauntered past her and plopped the mattress he stole onto the stiff mat that she had slept on the past few days. She then gaped as he slid the mat out from under the mattress and stood it up on its side in front of the toilet. A frown marred his face for a second, before he punched the mat in a couple places and bent it so stood up more reliably. The hollow turned back to her with a wide grin.

" **There. Now ya got a bed, and privacy.** "

"Th-thank you."

" **Welcome. See ya tomorrow, Witch!** " With that, the zanpakuto pair left, pointedly ignoring the visibly shaking guards as the duo passed the terrified men.

"Seeing you reform your friendship with Hinamori-fukutaicho reminded me how eager I am to reform my friendship with Sasakibe-fukutaicho." Ossan sighed wistfully.

" **You'll get the chance. We both know it, hell, King'll actively get ya the opportunity.** "

"I am aware." The Quincy's lips twitched. "We have been here for less than a week, and already things are better." The hollow glanced at his counterpart with a smile on his face before shifting his gaze to the sky.

" **Yeah.** " He slid his hands into his pockets. " **For everyone.** "

"Indeed." The thoughts of the zanpakuto trailed to their orange-haired wielder. "For everyone." They could've returned to their wielder's mindscape instantly, but the pair decided to enjoy the walk over to Unohana's abode. According to their signatures, the orange haired time traveler and his partners were already inside, in the bathroom, if the zanpakuto's memories served them correct.

If the duo slowed their strides, no one would know.

* * *

"Ahhh, cold water is _nice_." I sighed after downing half my cup. After facing off against Yama's Bankai, cold drinks were never as refreshing. I would've preferred if the bath water was also cold, but neither of the women I shared the tub with had been exposed to the ancient shinigami's overwhelming heat. Sure, it wasn't at the level the Head Captain thought it was, but it was still as intense as the lower levels of Hell. I briefly wondered if Yama's Bankai truly was powerful enough to burn away dimensions at its best. I knew from experience Bankai's could become powerful enough to destroy dimensions, so it wasn't impossible. Yoruichi leaning into my right side dragged me out of my thoughts. I glanced down, and she had a content look on her face. I had to make sure to focus on her face.

"Ichi-kun~, why didn't you tell me bathing with you was so nice?" The werecat purred.

"According to you, doing anything with me is nice." I drawled.

"Fair." The goddess of flash sighed happily. Unohana leaned up to whisper in my ear.

"I must admit, it's shocking to see how unaware she is of her feelings." I smirked and whispered back.

"It's more like she keeps getting distracted and never gets the chance for the realization to slap her upside the head. Knowing for sure that I was together with a second person is also making it hard on her. It's such an obvious answer who it is that she immediately shoots it down kind of thing."

"I see."

"Hm? What'cha talking about?" The werecat mumbled, half-asleep in the water.

"Nothing important." I hummed.

"Alright." We remained in the bath a few minutes more before getting out. I sighed as I toweled myself off. So much to do, and we haven't even figured half of it out yet. There were still a lot of people who had to go through training that my zanpakuto and I haven't thought about yet. Over half of the training regimes we've already thought about are vague directions at best. Kurotsuchi and Kisuke need to figure out and counter technology they've only heard of. The exile of the Urahara Shop and the Vizards needs to be lifted. We have next to no progress in organizing the Opening Assault. Then there was the matter of finding a way to keep the training secret from the Wandenreich until we wanted to reveal it. They would become aware that we're getting stronger just from the increase of reiatsu, and strengthen themselves to counter it. We had some leeway in that a lot of things happening because of my coming to the Soul Society was already seen by Yhwach and Haschwalth. Some changes could come about that the Quincy would just write off as because of me, but revolutionary things like Zaraki unlocking his zanpakuto or Toshiro finding out about the true power of his Bankai would be too much for the Wandenreich to write off as a natural occurrence.

I ran my hand through my hair as I walked out of the bathroom, Yoruichi and Unohana behind me. The mocha skinned goddess had foregone her jacket in the comfortable environment, and I had joined her by removing the coat wrapped around my waist. There was no chatter as we found our way to my nurse's office, each of us tired in our own ways. The raven haired medic took her seat behind her desk, and silently continued with her paperwork. Yoruichi flopped onto the couch with the intent to have a nap, and I sat in front of the coffee table to continue with The Plan. I unrolled the larger map of the Seireitei Ossan had appropriated from somewhere and used some paper weights to hold the corners down. Luckily, the table was large enough that the second, smaller map of the Seireitei and the hand-drawn map of the Schatten Bereich comfortably flanked the main chart I would be using. The map of Hueco Mundo made with Halibel's help was placed next to the smaller Seireitei graph. Unohana was fine with me snatching half a dozen pens, and I tossed them onto the middle diagram as I took out the scraps of paper acting as people from my coat.

As always, I started with placing the Quincy down, because so long as we didn't do anything to change that, they would appear in the same places and travel in the same patterns. Larger scraps of paper with _Soldats_ scribbled on were placed at the edge of each Division. It had taken hours going through my memories and listening to dozens of reports from fodder Shinigami hundreds of times to get exact locations on the squadrons of exterminators. I took one of the pens-a red one-and carefully started marking the map with arrows and symbols to describe the movement, patterns, and actions of the foot soldiers. After jotting down he main points, I went over each again to double-check that I had everything right and to add anything I missed. Then I started on the Sternritter. Some were easy. There were more than enough accounts of some that scribbling out the actions were thoughtless. But others were near impossible. The whereabouts of Yhwach's personal guard were almost completely unknown for most of the war. Almost. It had taken an incredible amount of effort, research, and going over my memories countless times with Zangetsu, but I had managed to get a somewhat vague run down of the actions of the guardsmen. Yhwach and Haschwalth were placed down, with a highlighted baby blue line marking their path.

It took nearly twenty minutes, but I managed to finish with the Quincies. Each of the scraps in front of me were marked with a letter describing which Sternritter they were. Circles of red marked the areas Sternritter E was ordered to take out. The path of Sternritter F was bold and noticeable in black. Squares of navy blue were safe zones from the vantage points Sternritter L would take up. Yellow surrounded the path Sternritter G would take, marking the range of her ability. A black X inside of a sky blue box represented the hiding spot of Sternritter U. Sternritter Z's path was the most noticeable, solid red with black edges. It was a mess, but one easily understood by anyone who had studied to read maps like this.

I began setting up our side with the people Zangetsu and I had already figured out. The scrap marked with my name was slid into the only position I could take if we wanted to win. I hated it, but the tactician drilled into me by Ossan and Kyoraku said I had do. Kisuke was placed in Hueco Mundo, alongside the Espada. The home-field advantage was essential, especially since Soldats had only the most minimal practice in fighting on sand. I frowned at where I placed the Espadas we had and shifted them around. The path the Soldats and Sternritter J had taken was simple, a straightaway towards Las Noches. There were a lot of opportunities for ambushing on our part. The Wandenreich mostly deemed the arrancar to be mindless beasts with a lot of power behind them, so Yhwach only sent one Sternritter to the endless desert to not waste powerful players. 'Jail' had-or will, I corrected myself-taken two squadrons of Soldats with him. With each foot soldier being lieutenant-class, the Quincy planned to overwhelm the extreme few arrancars residing in Las Noches with numbers. But since Starrk, a frighteningly good wave clearer, was still alive, the Espada could be positioned to whittle down the numbers before they reached the home of the Espada. Potentially, the Primera could take out all the Soldats and leave the Sternritter by his lonesome to fight 5 of the most powerful members of the arrancar species. Along with Kisuke's guidance and general paranoia, they could possibly take out the 'Jail' and rush over to join the main fight in the Seireitei before any real destruction could take place.

Zaraki was best wandering around the Seireitei and taking out anyone he came across. The only problem was the path he would take. I couldn't risk him being hit by a blood splatter from 'Zombie', or 'Love's' power, or taking unnecessary damage from crossing paths with 'Explode'. He could be assigned a path that caused him to encounter 'Fear', since the current Kenpachi deemed fear to be an even more useless emotion than confusion. I placed Zaraki's scrap of paper over the 11th Division and used a double line to scribble out his path. I paused a few times, but I managed to scribble out something that allowed him to take out Sternritters F, O, R, and Q. A moment later, I erased it, as the path had him run right in front of one of the 'Y' Sternritters, and it was a complete unknown _which_ 'Yourself' he would encounter. Yhwach had given the twins a path for each of them to cause chaos, but he left it up to them which would walk what path. Which meant it was a 50/50 chance that Zaraki would either encounter a fake Yhwach that he could cut in half, or a fake Yhwach that could cut _him_ in half. And I would not take that chance. Then I noticed a yellow line and remembered that Sternritter T was tasked to fly a path in the sky instead of staying on the ground. I was less concerned about the power of her lightning, as any captain and most lieutenants would be able to tank it, and more concerned about the resulting effect the lightning would have on their ability to fight. I sighed heavily and rested my forehead in my palm.

Kurotsuchi or Byakuya could keep her from safely using the skies. No, just about anything Kurotsuchi could put out would be something she can fry, and Byakuya would basically be giving himself a handicap by spreading Senbonzakura so thin. Uryu could potentially shoot her out of the sky. Wait, no. She can counter his arrows, and he's more useful against other Sternritter. Komamura…won't work. He can reach her, but his Bankai is too slow to hit her. He can distract her, but that doesn't really solve the problem, especially since she's aware of his zanpakuto's weakness. Even with his conditionary immortality, she could shock him into muscle failure. Shinji? Sure, she'd know what his Shikai does, but that didn't magically give her the ability to work around literally everything she perceived being reversed. Dammit, no. We tried that once. She coated her body in lightning formed from reishi, so we couldn't get in close, and we couldn't use kido. I weaved my fingers through my hair in frustration. Over half of the Sternritter had been taken out by me, and that was only because my abilities don't give a shit _who_ I'm fighting. In order for us to have any chance at victory, I could not leave the position I had assigned myself, meaning I was stuck until I had completed my one task.

I sighed. Ossan often told me that if a solution could not be found, solve a different problem. I raked my eyes over the maps in front of me. I landed on the paths of the 'Y' Sternritters. I needed to figure out which twin followed what path. That would determine whether I could have Zaraki run the path I had come up with or not, along with give me ideas on what I wanted other allies to do. But how? No one knew who was where. Dozens of accounts confirmed that there were three Yhwach's in the war zone, and many others established that the twins played Yhwach until their deaths. As far as we knew, there was no time limit on how long the 'Yourself' ability could be active. In the few plans that I had managed to dig up in the aftermath, the twins had been ordered by their King to not shapeshift into someone else under any circumstances while on the battlefield. One twin copied Yhwach's appearance and memories. The other copied his appearance and powers. Neither could copy both memories and powers. There was no way to forcefully return them to their original forms. Directly encountering either ran the risk of encountering the one with the power, and thus ran the risk that whoever came up on them would be one-shot. Both had access, thanks to their Quincy powers, to Blut Vene and Blut Arterie. Both could also use Quincy bows. Yhwach had ordered them to only use their basic Quincy techniques, and he limited himself in the same way, but that was irrelevant because I knew who the fakes were already.

But I didn't know how to safely decipher which fake was the threat. One could be killed by any captain or lieutenant in a single strike. The other could kill any captain or lieutenant in a single strike. Yamamoto? Sending him out against the twins eliminated the risk involved, since the ancient captain would be strong enough to take out both. No, Yhwach ordered the twins to copy himself because he knew a rusty Yamamoto wasn't strong enough to take him out at his best. If the Head Captain managed to take out the twin with the power, the Quincy King would be alerted that Yamamoto had regained his power. He would have his soldiers switch gears to a back-up plan, and even if they switched to a back-up plan I know of, we wouldn't have the ability to change our own strategy to counter them.

Shit, and even having someone to encounter one of the twins to find out which one they were was suspicious enough activity for Yhwach to turn things around on us! I needed to figure out a way to not only figure out which twin had the power, but eliminate one or both before they could alert their King! A pleasant feeling manifested at the back of my neck, and I was dragged from my thoughts. I made to twist my head, only for something to smack the back of it.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Yoruichi denied. "Stay still. You've been looking like you need a massage since you came here, and it's only gotten worse since you've started working on that map." I blinked, and what I now recognized to be the mocha skinned goddess's hands returned to the back of my neck and resumed the massage. "And you _definitely_ need it." She mumbled. It felt good. Very, very good. It had been a little over 7 years since I last got a massage. Automatically, my eyes started to close from the feeling. A sigh left my throat, but not from frustration.

Ossan also regularly told me that I needed to relax. I glanced down at the maps in front of me. Something like this wasn't something that could be completed in a day. A low groan rumbled out from me as the goddess worked her magic. We were on a time limit, yes, but not a short one. No more being a machine, I reminded myself.

Without any hesitation after that, I dropped the pen in my hand onto the table.

"Let me get comfortable." I requested, and the ex-captain obliged. Her hands lifted from my neck and I stood up, making my way to the couch as I removed my armor and Zangetsu. I heard an approving hum from my masseur as I shrugged off my shihakusho before I kneeled onto the piece of furniture and laid down. It was soft, and cushiony. Also a little warm from Yoruichi having napped on it. The woman in question shot off in shunpo, and came back before I even started to wonder where she had gone. She was holding a jar, and I remembered that the 4th Division kept a stock of massage oil. As she sauntered up to me with a wide grin on her face, I allowed myself to relax completely in the company of my two favorite women and inside what I had come to recognize as a second home. She straddled my waist, and I couldn't help but mentally chuckle with the knowledge that she loved the excuse, before pouring some oil on my back. The sound of the jar being lowered onto the floor was faint, a little bit because of the mats making up the floor and a little bit because of Yoruichi's extensive stealth training.

Once her hands came down to truly give me a massage, I stopped caring. I had a lot of built up stress, from 7 years of horrific war, almost non-stop combat, the mere _idea_ of time-traveling, all the preparations I had made _to_ time-travel, everything regarding preventing the Winter War, the preparations for the Blood War, and the Hell of trying to not get found out by the enemy that was constantly watching us. And, somehow, the woman on my back was undoing all of it. For a moment, I thought about biting back my moans. Then Yoruichi rubbed a spot in _just_ the right way and that thought was shot and buried. My eyes fluttered shut from the pleasure and I turned my head to allow the sounds coming from my mouth to flow out freely.

Maybe having more stress just made the massage feel better? It certainly _felt_ better than the one I had gotten in the brief interim between the Winter and Blood Wars. Then again, that massage hadn't been delivered by Yoruichi, so maybe the goddess was just better at it. There was always the possibility it felt better because of my awareness of Yoruichi doing it. A knot that had been there so long I had forgotten about it came undone, and my mind blanked.

What was I thinking about? The ex-captain ground her palm against a spot next to my spine, and something guttural rumbled out of my throat. The woman paused for a second, and lifted her hips for a moment. I didn't have enough brainpower to put any thought to it, and she continued soon enough anyway. She rubbed at something between my right shoulder blade and my spine, and I growled in pleasure. I made a promise to ask Yoruichi for a massage at least once a week here on out.

" _Yes._ " She sighed.

Apparently I had said that out loud. Great, saved time. And she said yes, so all was good. Now that that out of the way, why did I feel a wet spot growing on the back of my hakama?

"Don't worry about it." The goddess answered quickly. So I was still talking out loud. Eh, she said not to worry about it. I couldn't think, so the potential meaning behind that statement flew over my head. I heard giggling. Was too far away to be Yoruichi. Oh, yeah, Unohana was here. The goddess responded to the giggling. I was still basking in pleasure and comfort, so I didn't care enough to listen to their conversation. It ended quickly. I think. Yoruichi had been massaging me the whole time, I wasn't really paying attention to anything other than that.

I was suddenly being slapped lightly into wakefulness.

"What?" I hummed. Yoruichi was _very_ close. As in, pressing herself against my back and breathing into my ear close.

"How about we continue in the bedroom?" She sounded…impatient? I shrugged, my head still a bit sluggish.

"Sure. Hang on." Instantly, her limbs wrapped around me and I sat up. I blinked once I opened my eyes.

"Where's Unohana?"

"Waiting for us in the bedroom, now come on!"

"Alright, alright, calm down." I waved as I stepped off the couch. Grabbing Zangetsu as I passed the sword was automatic for me. I didn't slip it through my sash, though. I was going to put it down once I entered the bedroom, so there was no point going through the hassle.

Opening the door to Unohana's room was what brought me to full wakefulness. The woman in question was wearing her sheer white nightgown, and nothing else.

"What did you two _talk_ about?" I asked, dumfounded.

"Giving you a reward you are in desperate need of." The raven haired medic purred.

"Hold-" Yoruichi, with her intimate knowledge of the human body thanks to her stealth training, managed to lean in a way that threw off my balance before pushing against my back to get me to stumble into the room. In a display of speed and precision synonymous with the ex-captain, the door was shut and locked behind me so fast I barely felt the goddess hop off my back. I turned my head to shout at the werecat, only for the woman's lips to crash against mine passionately. I froze, and she pulled back with a soft smile on her face.

"It's kinda funny, how I thought _you_ were the dense one." She sighed. I gulped. I could feel my resolve shudder at the look on Yoruichi's face.

I feared for my ability to restrain myself.

* * *

 **Hi! As I said in the beginning A/N, I'm gonna do my best to get the next chapter uploaded before the weekend is over! Sorry if the ending of this feels a little rushed, I couldn't think of a smoother way to do it!**

 **Next Chapter:** _ **Waking the Dragon.**_


	13. Waking the Dragon

**Please don't kill me. First things first, I am going to do a Halloween Special. I've got next to no idea what I want to do for said special, but I'll figure it out. Second, I'm also writing a crossover story between My Hero Academia and Fate/Grand Order, in which Izuku has a Quirk that lets him summon servants! At the moment, I've got no idea when it'll be out, or how often I'll be updating it once it comes out, but it's in the works! Be on the lookout for it! With all that over and done with, enjoy the Show!**

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I gulped at the look in Yoruichi's eyes. The one that, under normal circumstances, I would match. However, these were not normal circumstances. These were confusing, stressful, time-travel filled circumstances. And while both my heart and my dick disagreed, my brain knew that preparing for the Blood War took priority over fucking Yoruichi and Unohana until neither could walk. The mocha skinned goddess leaned in and gave me another searing kiss, reaching out with her right hand to grasp the back of my head and pull me closer as her tongue slipped into my mouth. I couldn't stop myself from kissing back, earning a wonderful moan from the werecat. Fuck, Unohana's actions this morning _really_ did some damage to my resolve. Our mouths parted just enough for each of us to suck in a breath before she crashed against me once again.

Finding the position to be a little uncomfortable, I reached over my right shoulder with my left hand and pulled her to my front. Her legs did not remove themselves from my waist, and her left arm wrapped around the back of my neck as she tilted her head to deepen the kiss. I kneeled down onto one of the beds before lowering my torso until Yoruichi was on her back. We separated, and she moved my head to the left as she leaned down to kiss my neck. I rested my forehead on the bed as I tried my best to not give in to the increasing desire to keep the two women with me from sleeping tonight.

' **Goddamit, just fuck 'em into next week. They're** _ **literally**_ **asking for it.** ' There was Shiro, representing the voice of my dick.

' _How did it go with Momo?_ '

' **I'll tell ya after ya fuck these two stupid.** ' The goddess under me immediately noticed my inattentiveness, and responded by rocking her hips against mine. I grunted and failed to keep from grinding into her. The sound she made because of that was not helping. Someone crawled onto my back, hands roaming everywhere.

"If I remember correctly," Unohana whispered sensually into my right ear, "The personalities of your zanpakuto were based on your desires and instincts. What are they saying now?" She finished by licking and sucking on my earlobe.

"Shiro is telling me to screw you both until you can't see straight." My breath hitched as my nurse slid her body up and down my oil-soaked back.

"And Ossan?" Yoruichi moaned as she ground against my dick.

"He's not saying anything," I huffed, "Which basically means he's in agreement."

"Two-thirds of your soul are telling you to rock our worlds." The werecat purred. "And you definitely want to, so why the hell aren't you?"

"Oh, I don't know, because I have to prepare an entire army for the single bloodiest war in history, and I have three years to do it?" I growled, though that was from the effort of not slamming my hips down into Yoruichi's.

"How does that answer my question?"

" _I have shit to do._ " I hissed through the two women palming my erection in sync.

"Indeed, and their names are 'Unohana' and 'Yoruichi'." The raven haired medic sighed into my ear. My right hand shot down and slapped the mocha skinned goddess ass, a breathy moan being my reward.

' _Shiro._ ' I mentally snarled.

' **You** _ **know**_ **that wasn't me, King.** ' I could hear his shit-eating grin, and it pissed me off a little that he was right. I came to the realization that there was no way I was getting out of this situation without _someone_ getting off, and growled lowly. Both women purred in delight at the sound. An idea popped up in my head, and a savage grin grew on my face, which brought an excited grin to Yoruichi's face.

"Oh~? Has the beast finally come out to play~?"

"A game."

"What's it called? 'Are the girls walking tomorrow?'"

"You'll see. It involves a wager." Golden eyes shined mischievously.

"Oh, I _love_ it when there's stakes."

"They're pretty simple. I win, we stop. You win, we don't."

"Hefty stakes there." The captain on my back hummed. "What's the game?"

"If I can make you pass out with my mouth." The grin on Yoruichi's face grew wider at my words.

"Well, don't _you_ know how to get a girl excited?"

"Does that include both of us?" Unohana questioned.

"Fuck it, sure."

"We'll get to that later. Right now, we need to fix the issue of you and I being overdressed." The ex-captain below me purred, clearly impatient to get the action started. I rested my palms on either side of her head, causing her to 'eep' in surprise. She blinked up at me right before I crashed my lips onto hers. She moaned happily and wrapped her arms around my neck as her legs tightened around my waist. I gave in to my urges, and brought my hips forward to rub against hers. A far more pleased moan passed between her lips, muffled by my mouth. A measured slip of my knees, and my weight pressed against her core, drawing out a much longer and louder moan from the chocolate skinned woman below me. A pair of hands rubbed my shoulders, and a mouth came close enough to my ear that I could feel the lips occasionally connect.

"While you're servicing her, what shall I do?" She purred. I ended the kiss with Yoruichi to turn my head enough for my nurse to see my eyes.

"Wait your turn." I ordered. As I felt her shudder on my back, and 'something' drip onto me from above, I returned my focus to the goddess. Although I was tempted, I didn't continue kissing her breathless. Knowing I could get so into this I could forget about the game, I instead leaned down to trail kisses down her throat. She seemed more than appreciative, especially once I brought my right hand down.

Some perks of being a time-traveler were that I already knew my partner's kinks. For example, how Yoruichi loved it when I ripped her clothes. I fisted the fabric covering her collarbone, and pulled, the suit she wore tearing apart easily under my strength. I both heard and felt her delight, through her happy giggle and how the wet spot between her legs grew. The wet spot would be dealt with soon, but I had something else to pay attention to.

Ripping open her suit had the wonderful side-effect of making her boobs jiggle at the sudden freedom, and it had instantly captured my focus. Then again, it always did. Now that nothing was in the way, I was all too happy to kiss my way down to her chest. I tossed the fabric still held in my right hand away before I brought the hand to play with her left tit. The size was perfect, too large to fit in my hand, but just barely enough so that I wanted to try. And try I did. With her nipple poking the middle of my palm, I groped, massaged, and molded her breast to my heart's content as my mouth endeavored to kiss every inch of her right tit, since I technically hadn't done that with her yet. She sighed and moaned without restraint, which was all the encouragement I needed to continue. Once my mouth got to her nipple, I sucked it between my lips and began toying with the hard nub with my tongue. I glanced at Yoruichi out the corner of my eye, seeing she was panting and moaning from the combination of my hips still rocking against hers and my actions with her tits. An evil idea manifested in my mind, and I didn't even question whether it had come from me or not. A moment to pay attention to the timing of my hands, mouth and hips, and…

The mocha skinned goddess twitched and moaned erotically as her legs squeezed and her hands tightened around the back of my head. I had slammed my hips into hers while simultaneously pinching and pulling her left nipple, and biting softly on her right. Her face, as always, was painfully arousing, with her eyes rolling up slightly and her smile growing senseless for a wonderfully long moment. I lifted my mouth from her boob, a trail of saliva connecting my lips to her nipple, and grinned viciously once her eyes cleared.

" _One._ " I growled lowly. She gulped subconsciously, not yet having regained the faculties to process my statement, and snapped to my right hand as it slid from her tit down her stomach. She was too focused on my hand grasping the fabric of her leggings to spot my wolfish grin.

She gulped again with a smile slowly beginning to grow as I relieved her of her last article of clothing. I leaned forward, purposefully skimming past her lips as I reached her ear.

"Now onto the main course." Both women shuddered. I had momentarily forgotten Unohana. She would continue to wait until I was done. I fixed my knees and prepared my hips. This move was always a little tricky, but pulling it off was always worth it. Once my right hand finished removing Yoruichi's leggings, leaving her nude, dripping wet, and impatient, I moved my left hand. Locking my hips, I slapped both my palms onto the chocolate skinned goddess's ass cheeks, and slid her up the bed as she squealed in shock and pleasure. A moment later, and I was face-to-pussy with Yoruichi, with my hands holding onto her thighs firmly and her legs thrown over my shoulders. She opened her mouth just as I began, and whatever she was going to say melted into a loud moan. Her head fell back onto the bed and her hands found their way in my hair as she tried to push me deeper into her pussy. I couldn't get myself to tease her, instead driving my tongue in between her folds and hunting for where I knew her weak spots were. One of her more ecstasy-filled moans became strangled when I found what I was looking for, and then I turned merciless. I let go of her left thigh with my right hand, completely unaffected by how she was squeezing me, and continued devouring her as I focused on her clit with my fingers. Her screams were music to my ears.

Her hips bucked, which momentarily brought her pussy away from my face. I would not have that. I let go of her right thigh, reaching around her hips with my left hand and capturing her ass in an iron grip. I pulled her closer, and lifted my eyes to her face as I continued, with the possibility of her getting away now nonexistent. She eventually looked down, and her golden orbs became trapped by my brown ones.

It brought her over the edge.

I did not stop. She tried to form words, probably to warn me that she was sensitive (which I already knew), or to ask me for a moment to breathe. She found herself unable to speak as I twisted my head and got her screaming in orgasm again. I lapped everything up with deadly efficiency, and kept going. She shook, and her legs twitched as I adjusted my right hand and speared my thumb into her pussy. Her head fell again, her mouth open as her orgasm face came in full-force. Her hips attempted to buck against my face, but I drove my face deeper as I pushed her hips closer with my left hand, keeping said hips from moving.

Her screaming was suddenly muffled, and I looked up to see Unohana having left my back, now on top of the goddess of flash. They were heavy in a make-out session, the medic straddling the ex-captain as their boobs mashed together. What little I could see of their faces through the gap between their tits was of them locked in a tongue war. One of Unohana's hands was right in front of me, fingering herself vigorously with two fingers, and her other hand was unseen from my position. I was mildly saddened that I could no longer watch Yoruichi's face, but the view of my nurse abusing her vagina and the breasts of the two women mashing against each other made up for it. I returned my focus to my task, wiggling my tongue as deep as it could go into Yoruichi's pussy. I was rewarded another loud moan, sharp spasm, and gushing liquid into my mouth. Ah, she was squirting. That meant she was pretty close to passing out from sheer pleasure.

The heel of my palm ground against the clit before me as I drove my thumb deeper and more vigorously into her snatch, making sure to time both with the movements of my tongue. Movement caught my eye, and through the boob-window, I saw Yoruichi's head lol on the pillow with a glazed look in her eyes and a delirious smile on her face. The view disappeared a moment later as the captain of the 4th began attacking the ex-captain of the 2nd's neck as her hands came up to play with the mocha-colored breasts. The former-assassin's moans melted to semi-conscious panting from the overwhelming pleasure, and I went for the kill. I twisted my hand so that my middle and ring finger shot into her pussy, while at the same time flicking one of Yoruichi's weak spots with my tongue.

I was rewarded by a gush of fluid, a heavenly scream, and violent spasming. Unohana paused her ministrations and raised her torso, allowing me to see the goddess of flash passed out on the bed, a dumb smile on her face and her body trembling from lingering pleasure. The sight brought me satisfaction, but I glanced up a little in remembrance that I wasn't done. I slipped myself out from under the mocha skinned woman's legs and sat up. I felt wetness covering my mouth and slowly drippling down my chin, but I neglected to wipe it off. I was about to continue with Unohana anyway, so there wasn't any point. I pressed myself up against my nurse's back, feeling light shudders flow across her body. My right hand snaked around and captured her left breast in its hold as I brought my mouth up to her right ear.

"That's about to be you, you know." The raven haired beauty gulped, and I saw her shudder in excitement. I released her boob and lowered my hand to hold her midsection before I picked her up with ease. Her breath hitched at the action before I lowered her down onto her back next to the unconscious ex-captain. Once she saw my face, another shiver went down her body, her gazed focused on my dripping mouth. She watched me as I grabbed her by the back of her thighs and lifted her legs to her shoulders. Seeing her core glistening from her fingering herself, I smirked and leaned down.

"Wait." I blinked and raised my eyes to meet hers, seeing her sapphire orbs swirling with lust. "It would be impolite of me to have you service me without reciprocating in kind." I was far too experienced with her to buy that she just wanted to be kind.

"You just want me to be rough with you now that I'm actively participating." I accused. Her eyes shined and she licked her lips.

"I do."

"Fine." Without warning, I shifted my grip to hold her by her sides and lifted her again, receiving a soft squeak in response. Far too excited to be gentle, I flopped myself down onto the bed next to Yoruichi and placed my nurse down on my face. The raven haired woman sighed in relief and pleasure as she sat up and gyrated her hips against my mouth. I growled and palmed her ass with both hands, squeezing and molding it as I desired. Her sighs quickly became soft moans, and she switched from gyrating to grinding down. My mouth found its way to her pussy, and I wasted no time attacking it, assisting her in bringing her core closer by adjusting her position using my grip on her ass. Her weight shifted, and I felt my hakama come undone. She pulled the cloth down to my knees, where I proceeded to kick them off. Just like how I didn't hesitate to attack her pussy, she didn't hesitate to swallow my dick. She didn't waste time making a show of it since I couldn't see her, and she didn't take it slow, probably due to her own excitement. She grabbed the base, and inhaled half of my member on her first go, a wondrous combination of pleasured moan and aroused gag sounding from her throat at the action.

In response to the wonderful feeling of her throating me like a mad woman, I turned it up a notch. My left hand rose to slap her ass, and I caught the cheek I slapped rippling in my peripheral. My right let go of her other cheek as it slipped down, my middle and ring fingers slipping in between her folds eagerly as they pumped in time with the movements of my tongue. Just like with Yoruichi, it took almost no time at all to find Unohana's weak spots. When I did, I was gifted with the spine-tinglingly wonderful sensation of the raven haired beauty taking the entirety of my member down her throat before moaning and gaging erotically. I released a guttural moan into her pussy as she came into my mouth.

She deserved a reward for that. My cock was halfway out of her throat when she paused from my adjusting my legs so my knees were up and my feet were flat on the ground. She immediately understood my intentions, releasing an erotic moan that displayed her excitement as she fixed her position. From the sound of it, her hands now rested on the bed on either side of my waist. Her mouth was positioned high enough that only my tip was between her lips, and her tongue was doing wonderful things to it as she waited for me to begin.

I didn't have her wait long. I struck a weak spot inside her pussy with my fingers and tongue each as I speared my hips up, slapping her ass at the same time for good measure. Her resulting moan as my dick shot into her throat was loud, erotic, and filthy. A wave of liquid rushed into my mouth, and the corners of my lips curled up. Her moan persisted as I jackhammered into her throat while still devouring her. The vibrations of her throat, accompanied by its tightness, were bringing me close to the edge.

I had gone a little easy on Yoruichi because she was unaware of her feelings towards me, and her teasing was just standard word play. But Unohana had been fully aware of both her and my feelings, and had been physically teasing me at every turn. She was deserving of some punishment. The fact that she enjoyed such punishment was just incentive. I shifted my right arm so that my wrist was between her doughy cheeks and my hand was still vigorously slamming into her cunt with wet slaps. This gave me the freedom to reach around with my left arm to grab the back of my nurse's head in an iron grasp. She wouldn't be able to escape, even if she wanted to. She made a noise in response that was halfway between curiosity and anticipation. A moment later, I flipped us. My right arm supported her lower body while my knees came down to make sure I had proper support to continue fucking her face. A sound between a squeak and a moan that was much more excitement than surprise leaked from her throat. At the same time, something else leaked from a different pair of lips, and it was far tastier. Now that the back of her head could be supported by the bed under her, I moved my left hand again, sliding it around to fondle her tits. I growled, knowing she loved the sound, and rocketed my hips down into Unohana's throat, having far more power in my thrust thanks to the position.

The noise that came out from her was somewhere between a loud gag, whorish scream, and erotic moan, muffled by my cock in her throat. It was a filthy sound, sending pleasant shivers down my spine for several reasons, and encapsulated all of her happiness, pleasure, and arousal. And it was made all the better thanks to the position allowing me to drive even deeper down her throat than the previous position permitted. Her hands wove around my hips, groped my ass, and did her best in helping me put as much power into my thrusts as possible as I violated her throat exactly like she wanted me to. Not once throughout all this did I ease in my ministrations with her cunt. If anything, thanks to my weight going down towards her pussy, my actions were increased in their effectiveness.

I began scissoring my fingers in her pussy as my mouth left her core, switching my focus to her clit, which had received little attention until now. Her legs squeezed my head, which was an amazing feeling, as I latched my mouth onto the nub and directed the majority of my attention to it. That action alone caused her to cum again, and the vibrations of her throat as she moaned tipped me over the edge. I snarled in pleasure as I drove my member into her throat as deep as possible, releasing everything that had been building up into her gullet. She was all too happy by the display, and equally as turned on from it. Gagging and slurping noises began as she twisted her head in an effort to take more of my dick into her throat. Her tongue wiped my cock clean while two-thirds were still down her throat and I felt one of her hands reach down to massage my balls in hopes that more of my spunk would come out.

To her very audible happiness, I lifted my hips before I returned to pounding her throat like I hated her. I knew both from previous experience and the gush of liquid from her pussy that she absolutely loved it. I jabbed my fingers into a weak spot of hers as my tongue reacquainted itself with the inside of her cunt, and received another loud moan as she came. My left hand removed itself from her tits once something else for it to focus on came to my attention. I would've happily kept abusing her breasts until we were done, but I wanted to introduce her to more pleasure. But some preparation was required. And I had a wonderfully evil idea for how to prepare.

My hand and mouth left her pussy, and I used my left hand to sit up as I slipped my cock from her throat. She whined as her eyes remained focused on my dick, completely slathered in her spit to the point that it dripped, with threats of saliva connecting it to her lips. I brought my middle and ring fingers up to her lips, and was pleased to see she required no order as she took both into her mouth and sucked them hungrily. There was a swirl of anticipation and curiosity in her eyes, clearly having no idea what I planned to do. Once I decided that my fingers were properly lubed up, I drew my hand back and brought the tip of my member to her lips once again. She happily locked her lips around my dick, eager to receive more of the same treatment as before. I obliged, snapping my hips forward. Without my hand and torso to hold her in place, her body jiggled from the force I used. The sight of her boobs bouncing from the force as her body shook was heavenly. But what I was about to do would be more than heavenly for her. I leaned down with a smirk, lowering my right hand first to continue jabbing my fingers into my cunt. I then lowered my mouth, stabbing my tongue between her soaking lips and focusing on her weak spots.

Finally, I took the spittle-soaked fingers of my left hand and wiggled them into her asshole. The loudness and sensuality of her moans doubled, and I'm sure she would've been panting if she could've. I toyed with the tight rim to loosen it before I drove my fingers up to the second knuckle into her hole. Her throat tightened around my dick and vibrations rocked it as Unohana moaned filthily, unprepared for such pleasure as I was sprayed by her cunt. Her hips, which previously were easily kept in place by my right hand, spasmed upwards as her legs squeezed as tight as they could around my head. Ignoring the pressure was simple, thanks in no small part to my unmatched durability. She remained frozen in that position for several seconds as she came harder than she had possibly ever, before loosening her hold and practically falling limp under me. But not completely limp. Which meant my job wasn't done. So I didn't stop, continuing to devour her pussy while my hands worked on both of her holes and my cock continued abusing her throat. Almost instantly, I received another wave of liquid to the face, but I didn't slow.

Her moans slowly melted to half-conscious whimpers, and I jabbed my fingers in her ass one more time, her juices dripping down from her cunt to mix with the saliva covering my fingers. Her legs fell from my head to the bed, and her hands dropped with soft thumps. With a soft grunt, I rose up, slipping out from Unohana's throat while I did so. I looked down, and was greeted by the sight of my nurse unconscious, with her eyes rolled back into her head.

I released a sigh, immediately taking notice that I now was less stressed than I could actively recall ever being. A smile floated onto my face, and I carefully picked up the captain of the 4th before turning her around so her head was level with the still unconscious Yoruichi. Unable to muster up any level of care, I grabbed my discarded hakama and cleaned both myself and my partners off, before tossing away the article of clothing once more. Feeling exhaustion slowly manifest in my body, I slipped in between the women, who immediately subconsciously curled into me as I pulled the blanket over us. Feeling content and refreshed, I wrapped my arms around the women flanking me, and closed my eyes to go to sleep. It came quickly.

* * *

Toshiro Hitsugaya woke to immediately see a note on his nightstand. It was white, folded to stand on its own, and the words upon it were written in black ink.

 _I am waiting in your living room. I will answer any questions you have once you join me._

 _-Ossan_

As he stared blankly at the paper, the desire to remain in bed and pretend the note didn't exist grew steadily. Kurosaki had proved to be an incredible source of irritation from just entering the Soul Society. Time traveling just made it worse, from explaining that he apparently met the requirements to be the next Soul King, manifesting his zanpakuto spirits as if it were a menial thing instead of arguably the most difficult part of Bankai training, and now having said spirits enter his home. Toshiro had always been a responsible man, especially so since becoming a captain, and yet the orange-haired hybrid was making the white haired prodigy tempted to ignore those responsibilities within a week and a half of entering his life.

Just waking was far too early to be in need of a drink.

Sighing heavily, the prodigy got up and began his morning routine. It was petty of him to purposefully take his time, he knew. But Kurosaki's zanpakuto deserved it for sneaking into his home while the captain was asleep. He enjoyed his shower, double checked that he brushed every spec of uncleanliness from his teeth, and even adjusted his clothes a few times to make sure they were comfortable. And then with a huff, he entered his living room.

Just for the cherry on top, the prodigy didn't acknowledge the cloaked man with the unruly brown hair and orange sunglasses sitting before the captain's dining table. The icy captain pretended the spirit didn't exist as he journeyed to his kitchen to make breakfast. The responsible part of him made the spirit a cup of tea, but the petty part of him refused to go out of his way to make tea the Quincy would like. Once he was finished, Toshiro entered the dining room with a pair of cups and a plate of food, passing one cup to the spirit before digging into his meal. The Quincy silently accepted the drink with a nod of thanks.

"You said you would answer my questions?" The manifestation nodded once again. "How did you enter my home?" The white haired prodigy had no doubt that neither Kurosaki nor the spirit before him would do something like this without a good reason, so other questions took priority.

"As a manifestation, I can appear anywhere so long as my wielder has sufficient reiatsu to support it. The farther the distance, the more reiatsu it requires. Ichigo has sufficient reiatsu storages that I could manifest nearly anywhere in Soul Society without issue." So the Quincy simply appeared within Toshiro's home. And Kurosaki's hollow could appear within his home on a whim. Wonderful.

"And why did you come to me today?"

"The Captains take priority in training. Strengthening the more powerful fighters is more valuable in preparing for war than bringing the weaker up to par."

"Then I can only assume my training begins today." The captain sighed. "Why did you have the need to appear in my home, then? Why not confront me about this at the Squad 10 barracks?"

"Efficiency. Your training will span the whole of this day. If you wish to journey to your barracks, it will be for the purpose of informing them that you will be training elsewhere today only."

"I have no choice in this?"

"I regret to say that none of us can afford choice in our current situation. If we are not properly prepared for the Wandenreich, then the reason for Ichigo having come back here would have been in vain." The white haired captain watched the spirit before him for a long moment, before he lowered his gaze with a downtrodden look.

"I understand you and your wielder must get this a lot, but was the war with the Quincy really that bad?"

"Indeed, it was. Worry not for my exasperation, I am fully understanding that none here experienced the war, and thusly could not understand the truth of its terribleness. You are aware that the war lasted for seven years?"

"I am."

"Then I pray this assists in your understanding. After the Opening Assault, there was not a single day that went where someone did not die." The prodigy's head snapped up in shock and horror. "On the good days, the deaths numbered in the hundreds. For the majority of the war, the deaths were only of either unseated or very low seated Shinigami. If a month went by where no one of significance was killed, it was cause for celebration. I pray we do not have to repeat this too many more times before it is understood, but Ichigo and Urahara were truly the only ones remaining after the war." Toshiro blinked before staring into his cup as he individually processed each statement.

In the Seireitei alone, there were several hundred thousand Shinigami. In the Rukongai, there were several hundred thousand more protecting the millions of denizens. _All_ of them were gone in the time Kurosaki came from. According to Ossan's words, and the average amount of citizens per district, entire districts were purged of those residing within over the span of, at maximum, three weeks.

The thought churned his stomach.

"Then we must waste no time talking." He couldn't finish his breakfast with thoughts like _that_ running through his mind. He dumped what was left in the trash and washed his dishes before turning to Ossan, who was now standing. "We're going to Squad 10 to inform them that I will spend the day training, then you will direct me to a suitable training area." The spirit nodded.

"I will remain hidden for most of the journey. The path that we will be taking will have us pass the areas watched by the Wandenreich, and I most absolutely cannot be seen. I bear the visage of their leader, Yhwach, and if I am seen, our singular advantage will be completely done away with. I will give you directions though alterations to the environment, pay attention." The prodigy nodded and walked off, needing no directions to get to his squad. He rushed, having decided that he wasted too much time already being petty to Ossan and asking questions. He grabbed the first seated officer he found, his fifth seat, and didn't bother with a greeting.

"I will be training on my own today. Relay the message to Matsumoto-fukutaicho." The officer barely even got the chance to open his mouth before the prodigy turned and left. The thought of the potential destruction the Wandenreich would cause terrified the captain like nothing else. It also made him determined to become strong enough to stave it off. As soon as the icy captain left the Squad 10 barracks, he stopped to search for anything in the environment that seemed different. It did not take him long, if he wasn't just seeing things.

There was a chip in the wall in front of the prodigy, off to the right, and shaped like an arrow leading to the right. He followed it, and he passed four intersections before he encountered another similarly shaped marking, pointing left.

This would test his patience.

It also was probably done on purpose _to_ test his patience.

Hell would freeze over before he would admit defeat to wall carvings. The journey ended up taking nearly an hour, most of it spent searching for the fingernail-sized chips in the wall. But, when it was over, he found himself within a dark, chilly cavern. It was a suitable training ground. The cold never bothered him, anyway. Ossan was standing stoically at the opposite end of the cavern, a hint of pride in his gaze.

"I expected you to take longer at this point in time."

"So I'm already a step ahead? Good." The Quincy spirit nodded.

"Indeed. Our training will serve the purpose of strengthening your mind." The Quincy's arms came out from hiding within his cloak, and Kurosaki's smaller Shikai blade was clasped within the spirit's left hand. "Your task is to learn how to use your matured Bankai while surviving until you enter it." The eyes of the icy captain narrowed. It had been drilled into the prodigy that Bankai was a last resort, only used if nothing else could defeat the enemy. He was generally uncomfortable with using it as soon as the battle began, but this training was for his Bankai specifically, so he could make an exception.

" _Bankai, Daiguren Hyorinmaru!_ " The white-haired Shinigami roared as icy formed over his body. The spirit gave no warning at all before twin arrows of sapphire screamed towards the ice-wielder. Instinctively, Toshiro brought his wings in front of him, blocking the arrows easily.

"You have failed." The prodigy's mind stopped for a moment. His emerald eyes blinked in confusion and he allowed his wings to retreat to hang at his back as he stared at the Quincy.

"…What?"

"Exit your Bankai."

"But-"

"This is part of your training. Leave your Bankai." The captain was completely lost as to what had just happened, what was _currently_ happening, even, but he did as asked. "Enter your Bankai once again."

"What?"

"I am teaching you in how to use your matured Bankai. In order for you to properly understand how to use it, you must come up with the strategy yourself."

"You failed me as soon as I blocked your first strike!"

"I did. Ask yourself why, and you may find the answer." The spirit's right arm practically melted into his torso, from how seamlessly it hid in the cloak. The Quincy's sword arm remained out, but his stance gave off the impression that he would only attack once the prodigy entered his Bankai. Which left the white-haired prodigy ample time to think over how he failed.

 _He said the purpose of this training is to teach me how to use my matured Bankai, and he just explained I would have to figure out how to use it myself. He failed me when I blocked his strike with my wings, maybe it's how I blocked it? Perhaps I don't have my wings in my matured Bankai?_

"Ossan, will you give me an answer if I ask you a question?"

"My response or lack thereof will depend entirely on the nature of the question." Well, might as well try it, then.

"Did you fail me because I blocked your strike with my wings?"

"Yes."

"Do I have wings in my matured Bankai?"

"Yes." That threw the captain for a loop. If he was failed for blocking with his wings, but not because he could not defend with his wings, then what was he failed for? Toshiro brought a hand to his chin in concentration. A thought came to him.

"If I enter my Bankai, will we begin this test again?"

"Yes."

"And we will repeat this test until I succeed?"

"Yes."

"Will there be any consequences if I fail?"

"No." So, he essentially had indefinite test-runs to figure out the problem and gather information. Then it was time to test the first theory.

" _Bankai, Daiguren Hyorinmaru!_ " Just like previously, two arrows shot towards the captain. This time, he kept his wings back and blocked the projectiles with his sword. The attacks broke against the blade, and Toshiro waited for any sound of failure. He was rewarded with Ossan disappearing in a speed technique unknown to the prodigy. Before the captain could begin to contemplate why he had not failed yet, the cloaked spirit was in front of him. The white-haired Shinigami blocked the downwards slash, and struggled to remain standing under the surprising strength of the Quincy's strike. Who suddenly stood straight and returned his blade to his side?

"You have failed. Exit your Bankai." Once again, the emerald-eyed man was left lost, blinking in confusion. The spirit turned around to presumably walk back to his original position, and the ice enshrouding the captain broke apart.

The prodigy's mind was running at hundreds of miles per hour. He was allowed to block the arrows with his blade, but clashing against the spirit failed him? He compared the second test to the first. It was the act of blocking with his wings that failed him. Why? His eyes widened a fraction as he realized the difference. When he blocked with his wings, he lost sight of his opponent. With his blade, his eyes retained the ability to watch the spirit. But the trick couldn't be basic combat tips like that, otherwise he wouldn't have failed when Ossan clashed blades with him. Or was it? Toshiro had been struggling under the pressure behind the strike, he was essentially at his opponent's mercy in that moment.

Wait. Wait, wait, waitwaitwait! He was correct, it couldn't be basic combat, because the captain couldn't have anticipated the strength behind the spirit's strike. The failure was in allowing the spirit to clash blades with him when he was unaware of the Quincy's strength! A theory formed within the prodigy's mind, and he thought back to the first test. He had failed because he blocked his sight of the opponent, losing the ability to keep track of their movements. In the second test, he failed when he clashed blades with an opponent whose strength was greater than his.

In both instances, he lost control of the fight.

Time to put the theory to the test.

" _Bankai, Daiguren Hyorinmaru._ " The white-haired Shinigami breathed again. The arrows flung at Toshiro, and this time he flung a narrow wave of ice at the projectiles, only wide enough to defend against the cerulean streaks of light and allowing him to maintain sight of his opponent. Once the attacks dissipated, Toshiro shunpo'ed in time with his opponent, darting to the left and shooting back a low wave of ice to trap the spirit's legs. It failed, and Ossan's blade stabbed forth to fire a volley of arrows at the captain. The ice wielder shot to the right, moving his left wing to cover his body, but not block his sight. He caught the hint of a proud smile twitch onto the Quincy's spirits, and that all but confirmed the prodigy's theory.

So his mature Bankai required him to maintain control of the battlefield. He doubted the spirit would inform him of why, so that meant his only method of acquiring the knowledge was through passing the test. The Quincy stopped randomly, causing Toshiro to stop as well.

"It seems you have understood how to use your matured Bankai."

"Maintaining control of the battlefield." The captain confirmed.

"Now to see if you are up to the task of maintaining control long enough for your mature Bankai to be activated." The white-haired Shinigami glanced over his shoulder, seeing the ice petals floating between his wings completely undamaged.

"This is going to be a long test."

"If I remember correctly, it takes an hour for all the petals to break. Impressive, considering the resulting feat."

"Of forcefully aging me? It's not permanent, is it?"

"It is not, though you must wait the same length of time if you wish to enter your mature Bankai again."

"Fair enough. I imagine the time is only reduced by reducing the amount I need to age or increasing my reiatsu storage to charge my energy quicker."

"I pray that, in this timeline, you live long enough to confirm that." The emerald orbs of the prodigy hardened and he shifted into a ready stance.

"I pray I become strong enough to." The spirit slid into his own battle stance and the fighters locked eyes for a long moment. And then they shot forward in their respective speed techniques.

* * *

 **Sorry for the (sorta) cliffhanger! And if the second half of this feels rushed, I couldn't think of a smooth transition from Toshiro leaving his house to getting to the training ground!**

 **Next Chapter: Releasing the Demon**


	14. Releasing the Demon

**Sup everyone! I am** _ **beyond**_ **late, BUT BLEACH IS FINALLY RETURNING! FUCK YEAH! Enjoy the show!**

* * *

I woke up, and I just felt inexplicably happy. Well, it was pretty obvious why I was happy, actually. Although I had, and still have, more important matters to get to, I couldn't deny that I needed last night. Both the massage and what came after. My body was feeling better than it has been for a long while, and my mind was clear and undisturbed by nightmares or memories. I wasn't even feeling the urge to get out of bed and wake up fully as quickly as possible, I was just content with staying in bed, my arms around my women. The sun was bathing the room in a warm, golden light. My partners were curled into my sides with their heads somehow having moved to my chest while I was asleep. My muscles no longer ached from sheer stress. I was just happy. I rolled my head on the pillow to glance down at the women in my embrace, letting myself be too lazy to pick up my head. As always, Unohana was the picture of elegance, her face having softened with her lips in a soft, satisfied smile and her hair spreading out around her. Yoruichi, and it made me want to laugh just thinking about it, looked like a cat in the middle of a nap. Her fingers and hands hung down, kind of mimicking paws, and a lazy smile was haphazard on her face. I couldn't help but brush my fingers down their backs. They curled in more at the action, which made my smile grow. I watched them, enjoying how the golden light washed over them and made them glow with beauty.

Yoruichi was the first to stir, nuzzling into me as she yawned. I was content with watching silently as she sighed while stretching her back and arms, making measure to move as little as possible.

"Morning." I rumbled, which caused the werecat to look up at me as a smirk slowly grew on her face.

"Good morning to you, too, Ichi-kun~." Well versed in Yoruichi's quirks, I didn't react to her half-asleep subconscious teasing. I did glance down at her fingers as they lazily danced up my torso, though. "When were you gonna tell me you were a sex god?" I hummed, too happy and content to try avoiding questions.

"My tendency to brag kinda died in the Blood War." I mumbled. "Besides, the only two that needed to know now do." The mocha skinned goddess purred.

"You're goddamn right we do." She proceeded to lower her head back down to my chest as she snuggled into a comfortable position. "As much as I'd love to lay in bed curled up with you all day, I know you have plans." She finished. I sighed, bringing my hand up to run my fingers through her hair. Her happy smile grew and she tilted her head a little to give me better access.

"Yup."

"So what's on the agenda?"

"Ossan is helping out Toshiro today. From the feel of it, the Old Man is inside his house, which is bound to piss him off. But, Ossan's riddles are good for him. He needs to be quick thinking to properly use his matured Bankai, and Old Man's sheer vagueness will give him the push he needs." I glanced down to watch as the ex-captain's hair parted between my fingers, and soaked in how the light mixed with her violet locks. "I'm gonna murder Zaraki into shape starting today, so I guess its date night with Unohana."

"Oh? Where are you taking her?"

"Wherever I'm gonna take Zaraki, so she can both help me murder him and keep him from actually getting murdered."

"That doesn't sound all that romantic."

"It is when one of her favorite activities is fighting."

"Ah, keep forgetting about that."

"Don't worry about it, it's pretty easy to forget, since she's only fought once in the past few hundred years and it was after I forced her to."

"When is my date?" She purred.

"I've got an idea, and I'll be working on the details while I train Zaraki."

"Any hints for me on what to expect?"

"Halloween is in a couple days, isn't it?" Her eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"Oh, it already sounds like fun."

"Make sure you don't get too excited. I might disappoint you if you do."

"Oh I doubt that, when I _know_ how good you are at using your head." My face warmed at her intentional phrasing, but it passed quickly. She was still mostly half-asleep, and was easier to deal with.

"What're you gonna do while Unohana and I are out?" I asked. She yawned and stretched her back again before snuggling back into my side.

"I'm gonna keep the bed warm for you. With how well last night went, all I want to do is lay in bed and enjoy the feeling."

"Aw, damn, now you're making me want to stay with you." I sighed as I straightened my head so I was staring at the ceiling.

"Please do, I wanna do more than just _lay~_."

"Bad kitty." I mumbled, a smirk dusting my face.

"Don't you mean _naughty_ kitty~?"

"Sorry, but I can't get into a fight with Zaraki if I'm horny."

"I'd like to see the outcome of that." Unohana spoke up, apparently awake. My eyebrow twitched.

"Oi, the only Kenpachi I'd _ever_ fuck is you, don't even think about that!"

"Fine. Then I'll think about how you'd fuck _me_. Though, after last night, I fear my imagination may fail me."

"You bet your ass it will." I huffed before releasing the women from my hold and sitting up. "Since both of you are awake now, time to make breakfast."

"You wait until both of us are awake before starting breakfast?" Yoruichi asked.

"More like I can't force myself to stop staring until you do." I corrected as I stood.

"…Wow, and I thought I already knew why I fell for you." The werecat mumbled.

"Why thank you." I chuckled. "You deserve a fried fish for that." I didn't even need to be looking at the goddess to know her eyes were wide.

"…I love you." She breathed.

"I love you too," I automatically responded, "But you're not getting extra fish out of me that easily." A laugh slipped out of me upon catching her soft 'dammit'. I grabbed a spare pair of hakama on my way out the bedroom, ignoring the bundled up pair in the corner that reeked of sex. Considering I was about to brawl with Zaraki alongside Unohana all day long, I took measure to enjoy the morning peace while I could. As much as I loved fighting, it was difficult to truly enjoy it when I couldn't go all out without killing somebody, so it usually left me more stressed. True to my word, I grabbed a fish from the ice chest and the necessary supplies to fry it before turning the stove on.

' **King, why the hell did you stop?** '

' _You know why._ '

' **Yeah, and it's the flimsiest excuse I've ever heard.** '

' _We_ do _have a lot of shit to do._ '

' **That ain't what's stopping ya an' you know it.** '

'… _What do you want me to say?_ '

' **I want ya ta stop believin' ya aint worth it.** '

' _It's hard._ ' He sighed, and I didn't have to peer into my Inner World to know his hands were angrily passing through his hair.

' **I know.** ' He growled. ' **They're fukkin loud, I know, an' they've got no right ta make that much sense, but ya've got ta ignore the voices.** '

' _How loud they are and how much sense they make aren't why they're hard to ignore._ ' That silenced him for a moment, but he figured it out quick enough.

' **Unohana an' Yoruichi can't pull ya outta yer downwards spiral if they don't know yer in one.** '

' _I_ am _going to tell them._ '

'' **Going to' is the important part there. Ya don't need ta wait, ya want to. Ya think ya deserve the hell, but ya know ya don't, so ya only torture yerself a little bit.** ' He snarled. I bit my lip.

' _Fine. Then I'll move up when I was planning to tell them. After we're finished with the captains._ ' I relented.

' **No. Today.** '

' _We can go back home after we're done with the captains. The Wandenreich are a lot less strict in watching the World of the Living, it'll be easier to not get caught._ ' I tried to reason.

' **If ya don't tell 'em tonight, I'm takin' over.** ' He threatened.

' _I'll stop you._ '

' **Fine by me. They'll know something's up, and we both know ya can't say no ta them fer shit like this.** ' I glared at the fish I was frying, lamenting at the fact that he was right. My jaw tightened and my glare hardened, the voices arguing that getting everyone ready was more important than getting my head on straight. ' **King. Don't listen to 'em. They just want ta drag ya down. Ya know that.** ' I bit my lip, dark memories flashing behind my eyes. ' **King, focus on me. They get worse when ya give 'em yer attention, ignore 'em. Say it.** ' One of my hands tightened around one of the utensils I was holding enough that the tool creaked. ' **Say it, King. Ya know it makes 'em go away.** ' I swallowed the lump in my throat, but it just made my throat tighter. ' **Fucking-KING! Abandon your fears!** ' He was yelling, but his voice was quieter. ' **Move forward and never stop!** ' His familiar echoing speech was being swallowed by the others. ' **You'll age if you pull back!** ' It was almost as if he was screaming through a mouthful of cotton.

"Ichigo?" I blinked at the questioning voice. My head snapped to the left to see Unohana standing next to me, worry swirling in her eyes and a palm on my chest. "What's wrong?" I sucked in a breath. A little quickly, I must not have been breathing during the attack. I released it slowly and closed my eyes for a moment before refocusing on the fish, learning that I hadn't burned it while I was stuck in my head.

"…That's a bit tough to answer." My voice was quiet, I felt exhausted despite knowing I wasn't. "There's a lot of stuff wrong."

"Then it isn't 'tough to answer', is it?" I snorted softly at her minor joke. "It's not going to get easier if you keep it bottled up. Talk me through it." Her hand came up to rub my back for a moment, before she switched it up to dance her fingers up and down my spine. I focused on the feeling.

"Part of it is stuff you already know. Getting everybody ready for the Wandenreich, making sure they don't become aware of what we're doing, figuring out what to _do_ to beat them. Even with Zangetsu able to manifest and help lighten the load, it's still only three people handling the training of dozens, and each of those people require different training for different things. Like, Zaraki's training is simple, but is going to take up a lot of time. Meanwhile, Byakuya's training is changing his outlook and rearranging his priorities, which could take anywhere from an hour to a week and is far more mentally exhausting than physically. I haven't even started on figuring out what to do for the lieutenants, and getting the unseated Shinigami to a point where they're not cannon fodder only just now crossed my mind. Not to mention, as Ossan reminded me the other day, since the Winter War was prevented, we're no longer in a situation where Yama's authority is greater than Central 46. Sure, those jackasses haven't been replaced yet, but once they are, the first thing they're gonna do is remind us that they hold all the political power."

"While those are all valid points, something is telling me that's not what was clouding your mind earlier." The raven haired woman hummed as she stepped behind me and wrapped her arms around me. I appreciated the gesture greatly.

"I'll tell you both tonight." I sighed. "I need to be completely aware for today's training, and that conversation will tire me out a lot."

"You understand that you have now made it so that you cannot get out of telling us."

"That was the point." I confirmed. We fell into a comfortable silence after that. It was nice, feeling Unohana hold me from behind while I worked on finishing breakfast. My body was warm, both from her and from Shiro sending out soothing waves through my body. It angered Shiro more than it did Ossan that their attempts to calm my panic were never as successful as Unohana's or Yoruichi's. To that same extent, both halves of my zanpakuto were calmed by the fact that there was anyone that could calm me down. For the past five years, I mostly just was calmed by the fact that anyone was there period. The food finished quick enough that I could stop that train of thought before it got any real traction.

Just in time, Yoruichi was stalking into the room, her eyes half lidded and her nose turned up to follow the smell of the fried fish. Unlike Unohana, who was wearing the basic Shinigami uniform, Yoruichi was naked. I ignored it pretty easily, she usually was naked. She wasn't an exhibitionist, but she definitely preferred to be without clothes. I once asked her about it. She had explained that because of her cat form, she felt more comfortable whilst naked. I set the table, and we ate in comfortable silence. They sat closer to me than normal. Unohana most likely did it intentionally, to provide more comfort, while Yoruichi probably did it for her own comfort. The gentle nurse sat close enough that I could feel her body heat, reminding me of her presence. Yoruichi was halfway in my lap, only leaning out to devour her fish. I smiled as I watched her tear into the meal happily. As I sipped my coffee (I had added some sugar today, the sweet taste did a wonderful job of clearing my mind) I slipped my right arm around the werercat's waist and tugged her closer. When she snuggled into me in response, I closed my eyes to fully take in the sensation.

We finished eating far quicker than I expected to. I had managed to eat three mouthfuls of food, and I completely finished my coffee. Unohana and I had gotten dressed pretty quickly, while the ex-captain had wasted no time in curling up under a blanket on my bed. I smiled at the sight.

"What is the schedule for today?" The First Kenpachi asked.

"Date night." I hummed. One of her eyebrows raised in time with the corners of her lips.

"Oh? And what shall that entail?"

"Undoing your sin." A lovely pleased sigh fluttered out of her.

"Yoruichi-chan was right. You _do_ know how to get a woman excited." I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Come on, last time it took a week for us to get him back up to full strength." She frowned as she followed me out the front door.

"That is an uncomfortably long time. For two captains to be in an undisclosed location for a week is curious behavior. Not only would the Quincy become suspicious, but the Central 46 as well."

"Well, last time we didn't really know what the best method was, and I was only fighting with about a quarter of my strength."

"A quarter of your strength?"

"That's a lon-" I paused in my stride and mentally double checked how far we were from the 11th Division. "Actually, we have the time. This is going to be a little confusing, so bear that in mind."

"Go on."

"So, uh, starting off, you're aware that my Shikai was different before and after I time-traveled, right?"

"Though I am only aware of your Shikai from rumors, they spoke of a completely different weapon than the pair you wield." She confirmed.

"Well, for a long time, I was under the impression that Shiro and Ossan were completely separate from each other. When my Shinigami powers first were awakened, Ossan suppressed Shiro in an attempt to make me more in tune with my Quincy powers. This was because Yhwach was such an overwhelming threat that Ossan thought the best way to keep me safe was to make it so that Yhwach didn't deem me an enemy. So, until about two years into the Blood War, I was only fighting with my Quincy powers masquerading as my Shinigami powers, and the occasional power boost from my hollow powers leaking through. Furthermore, I didn't know how to control my reiatsu, so I was leaking it everywhere, and I didn't have an asauchi." Unohana became confused at that.

"You battled with a sword capable of entering both Shikai and Bankai, but it wasn't an asauchi? How is that possible?"

"Funnily enough, it was because of how Ossan was keeping up the illusion that he was a zanpakuto spirit. Using his Quincy ability to draw in and condense reishi to a point it becomes physical, Ossan used my reiatsu to manifest Shinigami robes, and my blade. Looking back on it, I was pretty dumb to not realize that I was the only Shinigami whose Bankai changed their clothes. And the only Shinigami who could decipher how much of their reiatsu they have left based on how much of their clothes are left."

"Excuse me?"

"Since my clothes were essentially just my condensed reiatsu, when I started running low on reiatsu, my clothes started eroding away."

"Oh my. That must've been quite the sight." I rolled my eyes again.

"Moving on, I eventually did manage to get an asauchi, and unlock the full powers of my zanpakuto. About a year and a half into the Blood War, the Zero Squad came down from the Royal Palace. Still pisses me off that they only came down because the Wandenreich finally started hacking at the barriers to the Royal Palace, but whatever." I mumbled. "When they came down, they offered to take some of us up with them for training, and ended up taking Renji, Rukia, Byakuya and I. Rukia unlocked Bankai because of it, Renji's situation confuses the shit outta me, Byakuya was taught the difference between Shikai and Bankai, and I basically rebuilt myself from the ground up. Using Ichibe's words, 'my foundation was made of chains, and needed to be melted down into steel'. I found out the truth of my zanpakuto, accepted it, got an asauchi, some pretty badass clothes, some training in how to control my reiatsu and how to actually use my powers."

"I see." A shinigami crashed through the wall to our right, slamming into the stone on our left before slumping down unconscious. A wooden sword was held in his right hand, and I mentally approved that it was still in an iron grip despite his state.

"This is fucking annoying!" I heard Zaraki shout. "How the fuck am I supposed to talk to my zanpakuto spirit if you shits are so WEAK?!"

"Maybe find Ichi-chan?" Yachiru squeaked.

"I WOULD if I COULD! But the bastard can hide his fucking reiatsu now! I'd just be running around for hours screaming his name, and that wont help jack shit!"

"Or maybe you wait for me to come to you, like I told you I would?" I questioned as Unohana and I stepped onto the Squad 11 grounds. Zaraki's infamous manic grin ripped across his face.

"Looks like that speak of the devil shit is true after all!" I stepped up to him, and not caring that he had a good five inches on me, punched him into the ground.

"Fucking dumbass." I growled. "We're trying to _not_ let the Quincy know we're onto them, not scream it to the goddamn Soul King."

"Oi, I didn't say crap about those cowardly wimps."

"You shouted for everyone to hear that you're trying to talk to your zanpakuto spirit. You know, the one you aren't supposed to be aware of for _four fucking years._ " The eyepatch bearing captain squinted his visible eye and seemed to contemplate for a long moment.

"Shit, yer right. This hiding the time travel crap is irritating." I huffed.

"Yeah, and it's only gonna get worse from here. Come on, I just thought of where we're gonna help you get your zanpakuto." The current captain of the 11th stood up and followed behind me alongside the First.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"My training spot where I helped out Unohana. Little bit 'cause irony, mostly the fact that it's one of the most private spots in the Seireitei."

"Ok, what are we gonna do?"

"Unohana and I are gonna take turns beating the shit out of you. Then we're gonna heal you. And then we're gonna do it again. Repeat until all of your stupid-ass self-restrictions are gone."

"What do you mean, 'stupid-ass restrictions'? I can enjoy fighting a helluva lot more people cuz of it."

"Go ahead." I permitted.

"Wh-" Unohana didn't hesitate to hop up and sock him in the back of the head. "Hey-the fuck was that for?!"

"You can stop bullshitting yourself. You don't want to fight anybody that's willing, you want to fight the strongest person you can, just like Unohana and I. There's a reason Unohana and I share the ideal that the best fight is one you don't have to try to make fun. You're more powerful than Unohana, and you can cut her down faster than she can keep up at your best. That doesn't mean give her time to heal, or hold back on your swings. That means she ain't good enough for you, so you move onto someone else. She did the same thing to everyone before you, and I've done the same to _everybody_."

"What if I run outta people to fight?"

"You won't. You weren't around to hear it the first time, so I'll repeat myself. There are only three people that are powerful enough to make me use Bankai. Only two of those people I need Bankai against to keep up with. Neither of those two are anyone in the Seireitei, and none of those three are you."

"How am I gonna fight them if I don't know who or where they are?"

"I was talking about how you can fight _me_ , dumbass _._ "

"…Oh." We remained in silence until we entered Kisuke's training ground. I took them to the healing springs, and gestured to the rocks around the small pool.

"We're gonna be hacking and slashing at each other for as long as I feel comfortable with, so if you don't want anything getting fucked up, put it here." Unohana immediately stepped up and started removing her captain's robe.

"Whadaya mean 'as long as you feel comfortable with'? We're trainin', aren't we?" Zaraki whined.

"As much as I would love to get into a week-long slaughter-fest with the two of you, that would raise the suspicions of a lot of people we don't want getting suspicious. So shut up and get ready." I was getting tired of his questioning. Especially because he normally doesn't question crap.

"Ichigo?" My eye twitched as I turned to Unohana, who had removed both her captain's robe and the obi she was known for wearing. "How bloody do you think this spar will become? I'd rather not overwork the dry-cleaning company." I was about to ask what she meant by overworking the dry-cleaning company, but then I remembered that we had really been putting them through the ringer these past few days with thoroughly fucked up clothes.

"You and I should be fine for a few hours. Until Zaraki starts really breaking past his seals, all we'd need to worry about is his blood splatter."

"Oi, yer talkin like I won't be able to hack you two up!" the ragged captain argued, having completely removed his top.

"You're definitely not gonna be able to cut _me_ until you get your Shikai, and with how much you've suppressed yourself, you're not gonna be able to land a blow on Unohana for a while." I passed my eyes over the two captains. Zaraki was currently only wearing his hakama, with his unsheathed sword resting on his shoulder. The sheath was lying on top of his captain's robe and shihakusho. Unohana kept her shihakusho on along with her hakama and sandals, but otherwise had removed everything. Yachiru was playing with the sheath of Minazuki.

"Oi, Yachiru." The pink haired spirit immediately stood to attention at my call, albeit mildly confused. I noticed the confusion also dusting the faces of the other two, but I ignored them. "You excited?" I could see her confusion grow incredibly, before realization cleared it all away. Her pink eyes sparkled.

"Yep! Thank you, Ichi-chan!" I smirked.

"Of course. I hate it when I see situations like you and Zaraki anyway."

"The fuck do you mean, Ichigo?" The ragged captain sounded ready to forgo the battle and go for the kill. His immediate reaction made me smile all the more.

"You'll understand when we start hacking at those seals. Everyone ready?" The First nodded, clearly keeping calm through her awareness of my knowledge. Zaraki was glaring at me, obviously suspicious, but lifted his sword from his shoulder.

"Sure." He growled. I smiled widely.

"Great." I was instantly in front of the eyepatch-bearing captain, booting him in the face with hopefully enough force to knock off his famous eyepatch. He was flung across the grounds, skipping along the dirt until he crashed against a rock formation. Based on the explosion of yellow reiatsu immediately following, I was successful. "Unohana, I get the first turn. Get your Kaido ready, he's gonna need it pretty damn soon."

"He wouldn't be able to grow much with short skirmishes, won't he?" The captain of the fourth seemed deeply confused.

"With the time limit we've got, we have to emphasize efficiency over fun. So, what we have to do above all else is show off the gap between him and us. Make him focus on that difference more than the battle." As I stepped forward, Zaraki lunged out from the rock formation, a manic grin on his face with his scratchy laughter filling the air. His blade was above his head, and he brought it down only to have it stopped by my left forearm. I managed to catch the falter in his grin just as my right fist rocketed into his chest. I heard multiple ribs crack and break right before he shot into the ground. There was hardly a moment for the dust to settle before he sprang up again, ignoring the potentially fatal injury. His sword was coming up in a diagonal slash, so I drew Shiro's blade and met his strike. As soon as the two weapons collided, mine pushed his back, crashing the back of his blade into his chest before I dragged him along the ground and through a pillar of rock. Seeing that he refused to go down, I narrowed my eyes and punched his face into the ground with my free left hand. He bounced up for a bit as the ground broke, and he tried to get up, but only pushed himself into a blood-filled coughing fit. I sheathed Shiro's blade as I turned around to take a seat next to Yachiru, Unohana already coming up to get him back into fighting shape.

I sat down next to the zanpakuto spirit, and automatically began petting her head like she told me she loved a few years ago. She nuzzled into my palm.

"I'm really happy that you're doing this, Ichi-chan." The pink-haired girl reaffirmed.

"I know. I just wish helping out you two was the only reason I was doing this." Her eyes stopped gleaming as the dark pink orbs dropped to the ground.

"…You said you and that Kisuke guy were the only ones to survive. That means Ken-chan died. He lost." I lowered my hand to rub her shoulder comfortingly.

"It ain't because of you, don't blame yourself. I wasn't there when he died, I was in the World of the Living at the time, but I heard what went down. He was in Bankai, using its full power. The Sternritter he was fighting just had some stupid powers that made him nearly impossible to kill, especially in a long fight. It was difficult, but I avenged him by killing the Sternritter that did him in. I'll make sure that doesn't happen, alright? It's a promise." Yachiru looked back up at me, meeting my eyes before a smile began to grow on her face.

"You're already doing so much, but, thank you, Ichi-chan." Instead of speaking, I just nodded before we both turned to the captains' battling. Like I had said, Zaraki couldn't hit Unohana, who was weaving around him and leaving a laceration upon his body with nearly every movement. His infamous grin was replaced with a deep frown, and I could tell he was focused on trying to hit his opponent over anything else, even trying to give up dodging just to put more effort into swinging his sword. From what I could glimpse with her darting around, Unohana was also frowning, probably from finally seeing the difference between his full released self and as he was now in its entirety. Due to the fact that Unohana's power was focused around extending the fight instead of ending it, their match was a lot longer than mine, which was more of a curb-stomp than anything else. By my estimate, it took about 10 minutes before Zaraki fell to a knee from blood loss. Once he did, I came up, palmed the top of his head, and flooded his body with Kaido. As his wounds closed up, I watched his face.

His grin was long gone. His eyes were contemplative. His body was no longer tense with anticipation, and his gaze was locked onto the blood on his skin. The blood that was only his. His grip was so tight on the hilt of his sword that his knuckles were white. The chipped blade of his sword-it couldn't yet be called a zanpakuto-was clean of blood. Once he was back up to fighting condition, I lifted my hand and backed up as he stood. He watched me for a moment, before his eyes narrowed as he realized I wasn't going to draw Zangetsu. Silently, the current captain of the 11th lunged forward with his blade cutting across the air. Good, meant that he already was focused on just trying to close the gap between he and us. I met his lunge with my fists, strengthened by Hierro. His sword sparked against my collarbone as my knuckles pounded against his body. He coughed blood, but still tried to let loose his own fist against my face. I felt one of his fingers break, but I didn't so much as twitch as I kept punching away. He backpedaled, but I stayed close. His serrated blade came up to slash at my eyes, but once again stopped in its tracks upon contact with my body. My left hand broke his jaw. My right, one of his ribs. I kicked out and shattered his right hipbone. His weapon swung out to get me to back up, but I just punched it back before continuing the onslaught. I broke his nose before I hit him with a right cross and sent him to the ground again. He didn't get up, so I huffed and retreated to sit next to Yachiru again.

Unohana was already kneeling by his side with Kaido lighting up around the battered captain by the time I sat down. The pink haired spirit was frowning, and I could tell her unhappiness wasn't from how badly her wielder was getting beaten. I began petting her again.

"It's alright. He's already stronger. It's slow right now, but he's getting there." She nodded at my words, but her frown didn't lessen. I turned to watch the First Kenpachi healing her successor.

 _I just wish I knew how to speed all this up._ Last time, we just fought like maniacs with the idea that eventually all of his self-imposed seals would break away. That if he kept on losing, he would keep on shedding them away until there was nothing left holding him back. It worked in the end, but there had to be a better way. With my knowledge on how zanpakuto worked, how Zaraki was suppressing himself, how his seals broke. There _had_ to be a better, faster way of getting him up to full strength.

I watched, bored, for 45 minutes as Zaraki was slowly cut down by Unohana.

I caught him as he fell, and shot my reiatsu into him once more to heal him. I had to follow him as he continued to drop onto his knees, and I kept silent as he flipped his blade before stabbing it into the ground in front of him so he could stare at it. I could hear his teeth grind against each other. However, he wasn't angry. He was frustrated. It was obvious, by how his body shook lightly, how he didn't make any noise, how he kept a laser focus on his weapon.

I let him think as he healed. Zaraki stood on his own once he was back at 100%, so I stood along with him and backed up as I drew Shiro's blade.

He glared at me, but didn't move. I let him have a moment. His glare didn't let up, but I saw that he actually started thinking once he saw that I wasn't advancing. He seemed to be contemplating something, and he seemed to not be happy about it. Before long, the ragged captain snarled to himself before he adjusted his stance. I raised an eyebrow before I analyzed the positioning of his feet, and watched his hands move in front of him.

"Fuck off with that." I immediately growled. He froze, his left hand open in preparation to grab onto the hilt and his eyes wide. "Stop with the goddamn compromises."

"Compromises?"

"It's the entire reason why you've got so much power under lock and key. You're compromising."

"Whadaya mean?" I rested Shiro's blade on my shoulder.

"You're too strong to get a fight out of most people, so you compromised and made yourself weaker. Your reiatsu is too intense for most to handle, so you compromised and got a limiter. Most Shinigami can't survive your first strike, so you compromised and let them come at you. Stop compromising. If they can't keep up with you, stop trying to fight them."

"But the old man said-"

"I don't give a damn what Yama said. What do you think of two handed sword-fighting?" He rolled his eyes.

"Waste of a goddamn hand, but-"

"But nothing. You don't like it, don't fucking do it. Stop adjusting for other people. Stop stooping to other people's levels. If they can't handle what you've got, don't fight them. Find someone stronger. If they can't keep up, move on." Zaraki growled.

"What if _no one_ can keep up, huh?!" He roared. I could hear the fear in the corners of his tone. "What if _no one_ can handle me?! What if I-"

"Abandon your fear." That halted him in his tracks. "Move forward and never stop. You'll age if you pull back. You'll die if you hesitate." I slipped Shiro's blade off my shoulder as I began stomping towards the stunned captain. I could feel it. He was at the edge. He just needed the final push. I drew Ossan's blade and met Zaraki's eyes. "You want a fight? Fuck everyone else. Fuck every _thing_ else. _Fight._ "

His eyes widened. And that's when I felt it. The buzz on my skin. The soft rumbling of the ground as reiatsu filled the air. The bloodlust filling the air creating the sense of a blade at my throat. His eyes burned yellow, and his grin ripped across his face once again. I lunged, my own grin spreading across my face as his reiatsu exploded.

And then, finally, I clashed blades with Kenpachi.

* * *

 **Next:** _ **Diamond-Dust Rebellion**_


End file.
